


PMD: Hellfire

by Samadriel



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Explorers of Darkness & Explorers of Sky
Genre: Alternate Universe - Post-Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - Post-Canon, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Violence, Fluff and Angst, Heavy Angst, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Mystery, Nothing explicit mainly for violence and themes of death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Platonic Relationships, Rating May Change, Swearing, Tags May Change, wholesome moments, yes they're here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:53:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 22,967
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Samadriel/pseuds/Samadriel
Summary: The tale of a human sent to the pokemon world and saving the world is one well known through the ages.But when the world was ravaged by war and doused in toxic hellfire, no human was there to save it. And so, the land and many of its inhabitants transformed into a hostile, unforgiving place.Sirius, a fugitive Eevee, comes upon a mysterious Houndoom named Mila with no memory other than that of previously being human. Together, the two must learn to survive in a blasted, poisoned land.Are the two destined to relive the tales of old and bring new light to this post-apocalyptic world? Or will they be ultimately consumed by the hellfire?
Comments: 4
Kudos: 26





	1. Fire from the sky

**Author's Note:**

> Here we go, round two! 
> 
> If you're new here, I started this story as a comic back in early 2019. However, several factors lead to me discontinuing it and instead focusing on rewriting it in written form (with some art for each chapter). These include: general unhappiness with the early pacing, writing, and art; burnout from forcing myself to a schedule; and university scheduling (I am finishing up an honours thesis, and will potentially be continuing my work in veterinary science).
> 
> If you're returning from the comic, welcome back! Skies of Gold was discontinued as I honestly didn't have any ideas to set it apart from the pmd games. And looking back, it doesn't really /need/ an entire story dedicated to it ^^
> 
> Cross-posted on tumblr! https://pmd-hellfire.tumblr.com/
> 
> Updates not on a set schedule, but hopefully every week or two!

_Welcome, to the world of Pokémon._

_…Or rather, what once was. Times have changed, and your journey will be far more difficult than those of the heroes who have come before. Do you wish to continue?_

_“…Yes.”_

_Very well. Before we begin, I have a few questions for you; in order to build your vessel for this world. Speak from the soul and answer truthfully. Are you ready?_

_Well, let us commence._

_Do you find yourself to be non-confrontational?_

_“…”_

_Do not hesitate, speak only the truth that comes to mind._

_“No. To the question, that is.”_

_Interesting. Do you find yourself hesitating because you are afraid of what I may think?_

_“Yes.”_

_At least you are truthful. Your soul is laid bare before me so unless you avoid the truth, there is no need for fear. My purpose is not to pass judgment unto you._

_If you were to confront someone, is it more likely to be for justice and fighting for what you believe is right? Or do you find yourself as being a bit hot headed, and maybe you might confront someone who injured your pride or mocked you?_

_“Both equally, I think.”_

_Interesting._

_Have you ever hurt somebody close to you?_

_“I’ve never attacked or hit anyone, no.”_

_Physical pain is not the only type there is._

_“…Then yes.”_

_Do you regret it?_

_“Yes.”_

_Do you consider aggression, hot-headedness, and occasionally acting irrationally as flaws of your being?_

_“Yikes, no need to say it so bluntly… but yes.”_

_The truth can hurt, but there cannot be light without darkness, nor can there be darkness without light. They are two sides of the same coin, as they are two sides of you._

_Have you ever sacrificed something for someone else, or put yourself in harm's way for another?_

_“Yes.”_

_If given a task, will you see it through until it is completed?_

_“Yes.”_

_I see._

_I believe I have what I need._

_You are strong, loyal, and fierce. Your soul burns as bright as any flame. But I can see darkness within you. Those flames can and have hurt. However, if you use that darkness to make yourself stronger, I believe you may be a powerful force to help return this world to the state it once was._

_Your vessel will be strong, for the world will be harsh and cold to you. But as long as you hold fast to that fire, you will be triumphant._

_Our time is drawing to a close, you have almost finished crossing over. I believe we may meet again, in another time and place._

_Your vessel_

_shall_

_be_

_a_

_._

_._

_._

* * *

The Haunted Woods. Once considered a dangerous mystery dungeon in years past, the primal life it then possessed had long since ebbed away. What power it still held within the grip of its gnarled branches allowed it to fight to keep its lush emerald foliage despite the changing seasons. Although it no longer continuously warped itself into living labyrinth, its untamed undergrowth and hungry beasts prowling within often deterred travelling pokémon from intruding upon it. The only sounds heard within were the soft whispers of leaves on the breeze and the occasional chitter from a wild pokémon.

Except for one night, when the thundering of paws upon the soft earth and the sharp snap of branches sent various bug pokémon scuttling for cover. A bird pokémon up among the branches squawked and flapped its wings at the disturbance, but Sirius barely heard it over the roar of blood pounding in his ears as he ran. His lungs burned from the frigid air forced into them, screaming for him to stop. Wayward branches clawed at his once lustrous silver coat, with each new scratch causing him to grit his teeth and his gait to falter. And yet he kept running, lest the large persian on his tail or his own doubt catch up to him.

Sirius’ smaller size and head start had allowed him to keep ahead of the persian as he wove his way through the woods. However, the larger pokémon was adept at chasing prey through the undergrowth, with each nimble leap and swerve of wayward branches closing the distance between the two. Another stumble resulted in the snarls of the persian reaching his ears as the gap closed.

“Sirius! This is your final warning!” Persian’s roar thundered through the air and sent Sirius’ fur bristling as a wave of fear rippled through him. The larger pokémon was right on his heels now, hot air piercing the cold and breathing down his neck. He could feel the blazing red eyes on his back, any traces of friendship that may have been there now burned away from the fires fuelled by determination to catch the fleeing eevee.

Were his efforts in vain? As the persian’s thundering paws grew louder, so too did Sirius’ determination begin to crumble. It was impossible, his smaller size was outmatched by the persian’s raw speed.

Sirius felt an acidic taste well up in his mouth, one he knew well. Whether it was a deliberate action fuelled by adrenaline or an unconscious will to keep fighting, Sirius did not know. The deep purple toxin bubbled up under his tongue, splattering out and sizzling in the air behind him as he panted. His options and the distance between him and the persian were getting increasingly limited.

“ _I… have no choice. Sorry, Leo._ ” Sirius silently apologized.

_EEVEE used TOXIC!_

_PERSIAN was badly poisoned!_

In the fraction of a moment Sirius dug his paws into the loamy earth, spinning around and using the momentum to spit the thick, toxic acid at his pursuer. Leo the persian squeezed his eyes shut and turned his head in a vain attempt to avoid the surprise attack. The persian let out a pained hiss as the acidic toxin made contact, burning away the dark fur on his cheek and eating into the skin. Sirius felt a twinge of guilt in his gut as he scurried into the bush, leaving Leo to frantically paw at the injury.

The change in the woods was drastic the more Sirius ran. Branches closed in around him, reaching out with gnarled fingers that scraped at his fur and pulled at the prismatic scarf tied around his neck. The wooden walls creeped in around him the further he went, funnelling him along to a destination unknown. The canopy shifted from a vibrant green to a deep blue that blanketed the forest floor in shadow. The Haunted Woods was a dead mystery dungeon, he had been told. And yet, it felt as if the blue-leafed tress were alive; that some essence of life still burned within the soil as the branches appeared to shift and dance around him. Branches closed in behind him as he moved, effectively blocking any possibility him being followed. Or going back the way he came. Sirius squinted against the darkness in an attempt to discern what lay ahead. Was the forest protecting him somehow? Or was this a trap and he was the rattata walking right into the luxray's jaws?

Up ahead, a sliver of moonlight sliced through the darkness. Sirius picked up the pace, urging his burning muscles to carry him just the little bit further. The woods around him slunk back as they opened up to release the eevee into the brisk night air.

The clearing was serene, Sirius thought. Pretty, even. The soft grass cushioned his aching paws, a welcome feeling compared to the harsh undergrowth of the woods. Up above, the moon shone brilliantly among the stars, unhindered by the few clouds that drifted across the sky.

“ _It’s so quiet and calm here,_ ” Sirius thought to himself as his panting slowed. His body screamed for him to lay down upon the bed of grass, yet he resisted its cries.

“ _So tired but… I can’t rest here… not now. Just a little bit longer until the ocean… I hope. I’m sure I can just quickly recover…_ ”

A soothing warmth enveloped his paw as a gentle golden light surrounded it. The energy within him flowed out into golden ribbons that wrapped around his body, relieving his weariness and soothing his wounds. Sirius sighed in relief as the healing move took effect.

_EEVEE used WISH!_

\---

Meanwhile, shrouded in the darkness of the night sky, a staraptor soared over the woods. Keen eyes meticulously scanned between the gently swaying trees for signs of his prey. No signs thus far, the only movement down below being that of wild hoohoots hopping among branches.

It was faint, but a glint of gold flickered at the corner of his vision. The staraptor’s eyes narrowed as he shifted his weight on the wind, deftly circling around to home in on the spark. In a break in the trees was his target foolishly using Wish and broadcasting his location to the aerial pursuer. A smug grin graced the staraptor’s beak as he silently glided over the clearing, mentally calculating the optimal angle at which to dive down and attack.

He was so fixated on the eevee below him that he did not notice a light begin to glow in the sky behind him. Brighter and brighter it flared up. Barely within a second, it was as if the midday sun had arisen in the dead of the night. Staraptor turned his head-

And the sky exploded.

Space itself instantaneously ripped apart in a fiery inferno that sent the treetops bowing under the immense shockwave. The bird pokémon squawked in terror as he beat his wings to narrowly avoid singed feathers.

Across the many miles that spanned between the ocean and the frozen mountains, pokémon turned their heads as the sky ignited above the woodlands.

\---

A lonesome duskull floating over a sandy beach turned its skull towards the flare. The rigid skull displayed no emotion, yet a surge of dread churned beneath.

\---

Atop an icy mountain sat a weavile. It narrowed its eyes at the beacon of light, noting its peculiarity. Its face remained as frozen as the air around it as it silently watched on.

\---

It must have been a miracle that he was still alive, Sirius thought. The sudden shock of the blast left him frozen in place, only just able to shield his eyes from the nova. Warm air rushed through his fur and roared in his ears as he gritted his teeth and hunched over against the onslaught. The scent of smoke invaded his nose, and he coughed and spluttered against the sudden onslaught. Eventually, the air settled and the light behind his eyelids faded, slowly blinked them open.

Small embers rained from the sky like raindrops, re-joining their brethren in a ball of fire that flickered in the centre of the clearing. The blaze was a deep red, unlike anything that Sirius had ever seen. It danced and shifted, tongues of flame licking at the air and folding in upon themselves yet never seeming to spread. Within the heart of the flame was a void. Black as the emptiness of space, it pulsed and quivered as a heart would. As if it were alive.

And alive it was, for Sirius yelped in surprise as a pair of piercing red eyes within the void snapped open.

And when you yelp at the void, the void yelps back.

“ _Woah! Is that… a pokémon?_ ”

A startled cry rang out across the clearing as the creature’s long limbs thrashed about, eyes wide in alarm. “F-fire!?” She cried out, scrambling to escape the cocoon of fire. Sirius watched on in terror, then shock, then curiosity, and then finally pity as the pokémon tripped over their own feet with all the grace of a newborn deerling.

The strange Pokémon was completely alien to Sirius, with a striking juxtaposition between their intimidating form and awkward, confused movements. She reminded him of a mightyena or boltund, but taller and lankier with a distinctly long muzzle. The large, gnarled horns and bone-like growths contrasted against the short, charcoal and cream coloured coat. The deerling comparison returned to him as the pokémon, now clear of the fire, sat awkwardly upon the singed grass, as if unsure of how to position her legs.

“ _A… fire type?_ ” Sirius mused, noting at how the stranger seemed physically unaffected by the fire. A wave of pity hit him as the pokémon looked frantically looked around, eyes wide and tongue lolling out as she panted heavily. His ears lowered as he tentatively stepped towards the pokémon. “ _Poor thing… They seem disorientated. I should at the very least offer some help._ ”

He hissed and recoiled as his paw made contact with a stray ember. Well, that confirmed that the stranger _was_ a fire type, or at least had some form of ability unknown to him.

The question of _why_ a fire type was alive and here would have to be addressed later. At the sound, the pokémon looked up at him; expression unreadable. Sirius stepped forward, now directly face-to-face with the stranger. Even when sitting and hunched over, they were still taller than him. The curved horns also seemed much more dangerous up close, and Sirius gulped. Regardless, he put on his most amicable smile and pointed his ears forward in a sign of friendship.

“Uh… hello there,” he greeted. “I’ve never seen a pokémon like you before. Are you okay? Are you hurt? That sure was…” He paused, searching for the right word but failing. “…Something.”

The stranger stared blankly at him, as if she hadn’t heard him. Then suddenly, as if struck by an unseen force, she recoiled back onto their haunches, paw extended as if to keep Sirius away.

“A TALKING DOG!?”

Sirius was stunned, completely frozen in place and attempting to process what was happening as the stranger freaked out in front of him, forelegs swiping at the air.

“W-what do you want? Did you set me on fire? Where am I? What are you? Are you going to eat me? I’ll make you regret it if you do!” The questions shot out of the stranger’s mouth like a Bullet Seed from an ivysaur.

All Sirius could do was watch on with a morbid curiosity as the large, horned possible-fire-type… thought he was going to eat her? Did she really not know his species? Sure, his silver fur was unlike that of most eevees… But it wasn’t just his species; the fact that he was even talking at all seemed to alarm the stranger. All pokémon could communicate in some way or another, after all.

A feeling of déjà vu nagged at the back of his mind. The situation seemed… familiar, as if he had lived it before. A memory that dwelled in the deep recesses of his mind, familiar and warm. And then it hit him.

His mother would often tell him stories when he was a pup, his favourite of which involved heroic teams standing up against titans and saving the world from calamity. Although there were several, one common thread tied them together. They all began with an ordinary pokémon (always an eevee when his mother told the story) coming upon another, who claimed to be a strange creature called a “human” that was transformed into a pokémon to save the world. However, at some point the humans, strange formless creatures that travelled across time and space, no longer appeared to save the world. Growing up, Sirius’ peers mocked him for believing in such childishly hopeful tales. But all legends sprout from somewhere.

“You… are you a… human…?” Sirius asked, the words leaving his mouth without thinking.

The stranger stopped, tilting her head as if the answer was obvious. “Huh? Well yeah, of course I-“ The sentence was cut short by the stranger noticing her own paws in front of her face; a sight that left her stunned and stammering.

Sirius’ brows knitted together in thought. “Definitely a human…” he muttered to himself “It is possible after all...”

The sound of sharp, quick inhales caused him to snap his head up. The stranger was violently trembling and stuttering over incomprehensible words as she turned her paws over, ears pinned flat against her skull and the sight of her own appendages rendering her speechless. Sirius’ instincts kicked into gear, his paw faintly glowing gold in preparation to use Wish to soothe the stranger if needed.

“Woah woah, hey, it’s okay. I can help you.” His voice took on a professional yet gentle tone, the kind he used when on healing duty. “I don’t know what kind of pokémon you are, but can you tell me your name at least?” Sirius felt extremely awkward asking, like he was crossing an invisible banner of politeness and his mother was about to pop out of the woods to scold him. But if neither of them knew _what_ species the stranger was, surely there was no harm in it?

But just as before the pokémon didn’t seem to hear him, her eyes unfocused. A pang of worry shot through Sirius, and he lifted his paw up as if to reach out, but hesitated. “Woah, are you okay?”

_Hello?_

_Can you hear me?_

.

.

.

The words were mere noise in her ears, drowned out by the sharp ringing that pierced her brain. Her entire body felt empty and heavy, black spots dancing in front of her vision.

This was wrong. This all felt wrong.

But why?

_What is a pokémon? What is a human? A human is me. I am human. But who? Who am I? Why? How did I get here? I don’t remember. I don’t know. Who am I? Why? Why? Who? What?_

_howdidigetherewhoamiwhyamiherehowwhatwhywherewho_

Around and around her thoughts circled. She tried to grasp at something, anything, but it was all smoke between her grasp. Trying to remember anything just resulted in an abyss of nothing but static.

But out of that void, a single name fell out.

.

.

.

“Hey! What’s wrong?”

The world snapped back into focus, and her head looked up at the strange creature anxiously calling to her.

“Gosh, are you okay? You looked like you were going to faint!” He spoke frantically as he held his paw out, unsure of how to help.

Resigned to the situation, her voice was soft as she replied, glancing up at him as her head drooped. “I’m fine.” She lied. “My name is… Mila…” At least that was true. “And I just… that’s all I can remember.” She barely managed to succeed in keeping her voice from shaking.

Sirius was quiet for a moment, as he mulled over Mila’s words. Being alone in a strange, hostile world was something he could relate to. He quickly glanced around the clearing, yet there was no sign of his pursuer, for now. Leaving Mila here, with the possibility of _them_ finding her…

The possibility of them discovering that she is, or was, human… He couldn’t fathom what would happen to her.

“Well Mila, I know this must all be strange, and that you’re scared-“

“I’m not scared.” She interjected perhaps a bit too quickly.

Sirius hesitated before continuing. “Ah, right. Well uh… either way, I’m sure this must be confusing. It’s not a good idea to sit around here so… would you like to tag along with me?”

Mila gaped in surprise. “Huh? Why? Where to? Is this a trick?” She squinted at him, eyeing him up for any suspicious motions.

“Not a lot of pokémon around here are… nice.” Well, that was one way to put it. “And that fire will probably draw someone’s attention. There’s an ocean near here, with some pokémon I’m looking for. They’ll probably know something about you… maybe. And hey, I can try answer any uh… questions you may have along the way.” Sirius explained.

Mila was silent for a brief second, before baring her teeth at him. Sirius stiffened, but Mila’s calm voice held no sign of hostility. Was that meant to be… a smile? “You know what? Sure.” She replied with a…grin?

Sirius relaxed, his tail wagging slightly. “Oh! Really?” He couldn’t help but feel a tad relieved at the prospect of not having to make the rest of his journey alone.

Mila rose to her feet and… “ _wow, she’s tall_.” Sirius marvelled, suddenly feeling self-conscious about his own height.

“Yeah. Honestly, I have no idea what’s going on. But no point in me sitting around and whining about it, y’know.” Mila looked up at the sky, her words aiming to steel herself up.

“Okay then, great! Let’s head off then!” Sirius said cheerfully. “We should head uhh…” He quickly glanced up at the stars to gain his bearings. “This way.”

Mila was at first unsteady on her feet, wobbling slightly as she placed one paw in front of the other, but instinct took over and her long strides quickly caught her up to Sirius. With the strange red fire at their backs, the two began their journey into the depths of the woods.  
  



	2. Feral fire

Up above, obscured by a cover of leaves, golden eyes scanned the pair down in the clearing. Staraptor considered himself lucky in narrowly missing the falling fire, and even more so as keen ears listened in on the strange pokémon that arose from it.

No, not a pokémon; a human. One in the form of some unknown pokémon species.

His brows pricked up in curiosity when he heard it. Humans… they were just stories told to children, right? Surely the pokémon was dazed from… exploding from the sky. Definitely not a move he had seen before.

Staraptor’s gaze trailed the pair as they set off west into the depths of the woods. He huffed a sigh, before spreading his wings and taking to the skies. Taking one last glance in the pair’s general direction, he flapped his wings and flew off in the other direction. Keen eyes once again scoured the woods below, this time in search of a different target. As he rode the breeze, he mulled over the situation.

There was one key rule that all scouts had to follow, one that the Guildmaster made sure you knew when taking up the role; any information discovered regarding “humans”, no matter how small, must be reported with upmost priority. Staraptor didn’t understand it, but the Guildmaster was not a pokémon easily understood. But if there was a chance to get into their good favour, he’d eagerly chase it down.

There, down where the foliage was once again lush and green, was the glint of a persian’s tell-tale blue gem reflected in the moonlight. He fluttered down, deftly avoiding stray branches, and perched upon a sturdy tree limb.

Noticing him, Leo squinted up at his partner. “What’s up, Ren?” He grunted.

“ _Yikes, you don’t look so great._ ” Ren, the staraptor, thought to himself upon noticing the poisoned persian. The skin beneath his dark fur looked ghostly, and the furless patch on his cheek was definitely new. He kept his thoughts sealed behind his beak as he hopped down to the forest floor. “Change of plans, Leo.” He stated. “Forget about Sirius, we have to-“

He was interrupted by a deep snarl from Leo. “What!? I’m not letting that little coward off easy! Look what he did to my face!” He snapped, making no attempt to hide his wounded pride as he turned his head to show the injury in question.

“Oh, boo-hoo, big tough Persian upset that he got beat up by an eevee?” Ren quipped, voice dripping with dry sarcasm.

Leo huffed, not dignifying the staraptor with a response.

“Leo,” Ren called for his attention, his tone holding a foreign seriousness to it. “That… explosion. It made a pokémon appear. I couldn’t tell what species it was, but what matters is that is said that it was human. It went off with Sirius out west, but that doesn’t matter for now. We need to head back and report to the Guildmaster.”

The silence was heavy as Leo took in the information. “You’re sure?” He finally asked.

Ren waved a wing at him indignantly. “I know what I heard, Leo. And this ain’t something you witness every day.” He retorted. “Look, I think the whole human this is bogus as well, but if it’ll make the Guildmaster happy…”

A deep groan reverberated out of Leo’s chest as he dragged a paw down his face. “Ugh, yeah I getcha.” He grumbled. “All right, fine. Let’s go. I’ll get that punk-“ He was interrupted by a dry cough bursting out of his throat. “I’ll get him-“

He didn’t have a chance to finish his sentence. Violent shockwaves ripped through his body, forcing loud and relentless coughs to erupt out of him. He retched from the force and felt the distinct metallic taste of blood on his tongue.

Ren squawked in alarm, feathers fluffing up as he ruffled them. “Leo! Are you okay?” He cried.

Leo roughly wiped his mouth. “Yeah, I’m fine…” He lied, feeling a wave of chills surge through him. “This stupid toxin’s setting in. You go on ahead, I’ll catch up.”

As he turned to head back the way he came, he felt Ren’s wing lightly slap his back. Glancing to the side, he saw the bird pokémon strutting alongside him.

“Pah! Last thing I need is your furry ass getting beat up by wild pokémon. But I’m not carrying you if you keel over.” Ren scoffed, yet no malice coated his words.

Leo silently appreciated the staraptor’s concern, despite the roundabout way of showing it. “I’ll be fine. I’ll try get a pecha berry back at the guild,” he replied.

“Hmm good luck with that…” Ren muttered under his breath.  
  


\---

Elsewhere, in the deep Haunted Woods, Sirius and Mila trotted amongst the shadows of the tall trees. Here they were gentle, their long branches adorned with soft curtains of blue leaves reached down to gently brush at the ground. A heavy silence framed the sound of their soft footfalls.

“Hey uh… you never told me your name.” Mila finally broke the silence.

“Oh!” The implied question caused Sirius to stumble before quickly righting himself. “Well, you did tell me yours so… It’s Sirius.” He replied.

Mila lowered her head so it was level with his, tilting it to the side. “Wait, it’s serious so you can’t tell me or…?”

Sirius couldn’t help the chuckle that bubbled out of him. “I’m actually called Sirius.”

“Oh well… it’s a bit late, but nice to meet you, Sirius.” Mila said cheerfully, lips pulling back to bare her fangs once again.

“Nice to meet you too, Mila.” He replied with a soft smile. “Although, baring your teeth isn’t really something associated with a greeting, as a heads up.”

“Oh, sorry!” Mila instantly corrected herself. “Is uh… this better?” She asked, corners of her mouth turned up.

“Well, you don’t look like you’re about to bite my head off, so I’d say so.”

They chuckled before allowing the silence to return once again, albeit more amicable this time. Sirius quietly appreciated the companionship, something he didn’t know he missed until now. He didn’t know how long it would last, but for now it was nice just to have someone walking besides him. 

“Woah, hey, what’s that up there?” Mila barked, snapping Sirius out of his daze. She had stopped, gaze fixated up at the canopy. “Oh cool, it’s an owl!”

Sirius tilted his head, one ear flopping down in confusion. “Huh?” He followed her gaze, noticing a creature perched on a branch up above. “Oh, you mean a noctowl. A feral one as well, it seems.” Sirius explained. It stared down at them with large, unblinking black eyes before giving a soft _hoot_.

“If we ignore it, it shouldn’t give us trouble. Come on, let’s go.” Sirius urged Mila on, eyes fixed on the creature above them. It paid them no mind, choosing instead to preen its feathers.

Mila shrugged, following the eevee. After a brief silence, she spoke up. “You said ‘feral’. Was it one of the dangerous uhh… pookee-mons you mentioned earlier?”

Sirius raised his brows and tilted his head at her. “You’re… a strange one.” He shook his head. “But uh, yeah it was a feral pokémon. They can be dangerous as they can’t really control their moves like us, but if you give them space they’ll leave you alone. They can be good food if you’re the hunting type though.” His ears drooped as he continued. “But there’s other pokémon, like you or me, who will take any chance to attack. Bandits and the like.” Sirius decided to omit mentioning the group of pokémon that were actively hunting him down only hours prior. No signs of them thus far, so no need to mention it.

Mila nodded her head. “Okay, so let’s see if I’ve got this. There’s feral… pokémon, was it?”

Sirius nodded.

“Right. Feral pokémon who don’t talk, can be good food. Then there’s pokémon like you who can talk. Some good, some not. Is that right?” Mila asked, and Sirius once again nodded in response. “This place sure is weird.” She mumbled to herself.

The corner of Sirius’ mouth turned up. “ _I could say the same about you._ ” He thought.

The remainder of their journey through the woods was uneventful. If she concentrated hard enough, Mila could see and hear signs of feral pokémon. A snom fighting with a wurmple over a leaf on a tree trunk. A skwovet dashing up into a tree hollow as they stepped past. A rookidee gathering twigs from the forest floor. All bizarre creatures that left her intrigued.

Eventually, the forest fell away, opening up to a vast plain accentuated with rolling hills. The babble of a stream reached their ears, singing its lonely song across the barren plains. A gentle wind blew through the yellow grass, the chill sending a shiver down Mila’s spine.

“Whew, it’s chilly.” She commented, shivering slightly.

Sirius didn’t envy her lack of a thick fur coat. He offered her a look of sympathy before pointing out to the horizon. “Not much further… I think. We just have to cross this prairie, which should be done by morning. There’s no mystery dungeon around here anymore, so we should be fine.” He explained.

There he was again with those funny words.

The melodic song of the stream reached Sirius’ ears, and he was suddenly aware of the dryness coating his mouth. Licking his lips, he swivelled his ears towards the sound and followed it.

“Let’s just get a drink first.” He said, and Mila nodded in agreement.

The stream was obscured by a wall of tall grass with moss-covered rocks and small white flowers adorning its banks. The curtain of grass gave way to Sirius as he sniffed the ground before eagerly lapping up the crystal-clear water. Mila joined him, carefully placing her paws to avoid slipping on the damp rocks. The crystalline water reflected the light of the moon as it bubbled over pebbles and reeds. As she leaned down, Mila took in her reflected appearance for the first time.

It was… strange. She tilted her head from side to side, watching her horns and the flop of her ears in fascination. “Yo, Sirius,” she finally called for his attention.

He hummed at her in response without raising his head.

“You said you don’t know what kind of Pokémon I am?” She raised a paw, running it along the bony growths that adorned the base of her neck. Very strange indeed.

“Hmm… No, I don’t.” Sirius replied as he raised his head, looking up in thought. “I believe you may be a fire type; from that fire you came from. Maybe… related to a mightyena? Or a boltund, based on your appearance. Or you could even be a dragon type, judging by those big horns.”

Mila lapped at the water as Sirius spoke, one ear raised as she attentively listened. “So, types… is that like, elements or something?” She asked after wiping her mouth.

“Yep. I’m an eevee; a normal, or neutral, type. Fire pokémon aren’t around here anymore, which is another reason I think you might be one.”

Mila nodded as she took in the information. “Ah… ok.” She looked back down at the water and her ears pinned back against her skull. “Wait… if I’m fire type, wouldn’t that mean this water would kill me?”

Sirius gave a small chuckle. “No, that’s not really how it works.”

Mila shrugged and trotted up next to him. “Ah, ok. Well, I’m ready to go when you are.”

Sirius nodded, their journey continuing once again as he followed the river downstream with Mila close behind. “The pokémon at the ocean might have an idea on what you are as well.” He said.

“Do some wise sage pokémon live there or something?” Mila asked, tilting her head.

“…Not quite. There’s an old, ruined town inhabited by ghost pokémon. They’re apparently quite helpful, and they might know something about you.” Sirius replied.

A chill ran down Mila’s spine as her fur bristled. “…Of course ghosts are a thing in this world.” She sighed.

\---

_…sniff… sniff_

_Who dares enter my territory?_

_Have they come to kill me?_

**_They_ ** _have come to kill me._

_They must be stopped._

_They must be killed._

Large cloven hooves crushed the yellowed grass beneath them as a grumpig leaned down to sniff at the ground, its gnarled tusks upturning the soil. A familiar scent entered its nostrils, one that reignited recollections of anger and pain and the vision of great stone walls. It snorted, nostrils flaring as its hulking body lurched forward. It kept its nose down to the trail, its tusks throwing up a trail of dirt as it charged forward on all fours. Each grunt and snort created a billow of mist in the cold air, drifting past soulless black eyes before dissipating. As the scent intensified, it unleashed a bellow fuelled with primal rage.

\---

Both Sirius and Mila pricked their ears up as the roar echoed over the plain. “What’s that?” Mila asked, her fur bristling.

Sirius frantically looked around, scanning the horizon for signs of life. “I’m… not sure.” He replied, his voice stiff. An unseen force in the air tingled his fur, causing him to shudder.

_EEVEE’s anticipation made it shudder!_

The faint sound of hooves thundering upon the earth reached their ears. They turned their attention to the direction the sound was coming from, the heavy tension weighing down on them. A cloud of dust arose at the top of a hill, and both pokémon fixed their gazes upon it.

“Something’s coming.” Sirius growled lowly, the change in tone causing Mila’s eyes to go wide.

The grumping charged over the crest of the hill, before grinding to a halt. As the dust settled, its hollow gaze stared down at the two pokémon, unblinking. Its heavy grunting pierced the silence that followed as it remained motionless.

“W-what’s that?” Mila whispered, instinctively crouching down.

Sirius was frozen, jaw agape as he attempted to formulate a response. “I… I don’t know. A grumpig but…” He stammered. “It looks like a feral… but also like a normal pokémon… but it’s so big… I don’t know.”

“What do we do?” Mila hissed.

Sirius gulped, unable to tear his eyes away from the… creature… staring down at them. There was something about its black eyes that chilled him to the bone. They were unlike that of any pokémon he had seen, feral or otherwise.

“Let’s… slowly turn around… walk away… maybe it won’t see us as a threat.” Sirius finally whispered, each word accentuated with a pause.

Each millisecond felt like an hour as he slowly turned his back to the grumpig. Sirius felt relief creeping in on him as the pokémon continued to remain motionless, its gaze remained transfixed on them.

That relief was shattered as the instant Sirius’ back was to the grumpig, it unleashed a feral bellow and barrelled down the hill, the impact of its hooves shaking the very earth beneath them. The dark orbs upon its head faintly glowed with an eerie light.

“RUN!” Sirius cried, forcing his legs into motion. Mila wasted no time in following suit, taking off after him. She quickly outpaced him, her paws barely touching the ground as she flew past him. For a brief second the danger behind her fell away and she was free to fly across the plain, carried on powerful legs that never tired.

Freedom.

However, the feeling was brief. She turned her head to see Sirius lagging behind, and the other pokémon rapidly gaining on him. The orbs were growing brighter and pulsating wildly.

 _“What should I do? Should I carry him? Can I carry him? No way I’m leaving him behind!”_ Mila’s thoughts raced faster than she was running as she skidded to a halt.

“Sirius!” She cried out to him.

He opened his mouth as if to say something, but words never came out. A wave of purple light shot out of the pursuer’s orb, colliding with Sirius within a split second. The invisible impact sent him flying towards Mila, limp body bouncing off the ground before rolling to a stop at her feet, unmoving.

_GRUMPIG used PSYBEAM!_

_CRITICAL HIT!_

Mila went numb as the world seemed to move in slow motion around her. She cried out as Sirius fell motionless at her feet, yet no sound reached her ears. The grumpig didn’t stop, the orbs on its head continued to pulse with eerie light until another beam exploded out of them, this time directly at Mila. She instinctively squeezed her eyes shut against the blinding light, bracing herself for the same impact that had sent Sirius flying.

Yet nothing happened.

_GRUMPIG used PSYBEAM!_

_It doesn’t affect ???_

The grumpig’s charge faltered at the failed attack. It stumbled to a halt, wearily keeping its distance from Mila as it paused.

The cold, numbing fear within her gut threatened to overwhelm her, yet it was driven back by something else. A burning anger bubbled up within her, blistering through her veins and igniting her muscles into action. A fire rapidly rose up within her, transforming from a candle into a wildfire that consumed every inch of her body. She bared her fangs, intentionally this time, and snarled at the grumpig.

If it wanted to fight, she would gladly oblige.

Her body moved on its own as she charged towards the opponent. The inferno growing within her exploded into the open, coating her fangs in fiery ribbons that billowed behind her. Grumpig roared in response, its front hooves sparking with electricity as it charged.

_GRUMPIG used THUNDERPUNCH!_

It lunged at her; thunderous hooves outstretched to crush her beneath them.

_??? avoided the attack!_

Mila swiftly sidestepped the attack, deftly circling around the grumpig on featherlight feet. It turned to chase after her, but its movements were sluggish in comparison. Before it could properly react, Mila lunged at it, sinking her fire-coated fangs deep into the firm flesh on its back.

_??? used FIRE FANG!_

_GRUMPIG was burned!_

The stench of burning flesh filled her nostrils as warm blood touched her tongue. Grumpig squealed from the assault, rearing up on its hind legs and bucking wildly. Mila jerked around violently, the force ripping her free as she was flung through the air, flames fizzling out into the cold breeze. Crashing upon the ground, she quickly jumped to her feet and snarled at the grumpig.

Still on its hind legs, it looked back at her with frenzied eyes. Its orbs glowed gold as it panted heavily, the charred flesh on its back smoking in the night air.

It violently flung itself around, a ray of blinding light shooting out of its orbs.

_GRUMPIG used POWER GEM!_

Mila once again jumped to the side, but shards of wayward light scraped her flanks, leaving a multitude of deep cuts upon her skin.

_It’s super effective!_

The pain that resulted rocketed through her whole body right down to her bones, as if it had sliced deep into her soul. Black spots danced in front of her vision and she grunted, taking several steps back to distance herself from her opponent.

“You _bastard_.” She spat, flames splattering into the open air.

\---

Sirius grunted as he came to, pushing himself up and blinking the haziness out of his vision. A snarl overpowered the ringing his ears and he turned his head towards the sound.

He had initially thought Mila’s appearance to be terrifying, and that initial impression returned in full force as her lithe body crouched down, flames overflowing out of her jaws and spilling out into the air. Blood dripped from gashed upon her hide, staining the grass below her.

Gritting his teeth, he pushed himself to his feet. The acidic burn of his toxin bubbled up under his tongue, threatening to escape the cage of his jaw. With a burst of adrenaline, he pushed the energy within him to his paw as he prepared the Wish.

As his paw glowed gold, so too did the grumpig’s orbs as it readied another attack. It remained fixated on Mila, who had crouched down in preparation to dodge the upcoming attack. Sensing an opening, Sirius lurched forward while the grumpig was distracted. He deftly ran beneath it, releasing the toxic sludge upon it.

_EEVEE used TOXIC!_

The glow fizzled out as the grumpig recoiled from the assault, pawing at the injury. Having bought some time, Sirius ran up besides Mila, who pricked her ears up in surprise and widened her eyes, as if snapped out of a trance.

“Woah, you’re okay? What was-“ She started, cutting herself off as the glow from Sirius’ paw enveloped her wounds, pain replace with a soothing wave of relief.

“Talk later, fight the grumpig now.” Sirius said curtly.

The grumpig paused, the threat of two opponents momentarily stunning it. Hunching over, it backed up slowly while keeping its gazed fixed on them.

“Looks like it’s getting worn out.” Sirius commented, muzzle scrunched up in determination. “Keep doing what you’re doing and we can drive it off.”

“Roger that.” Mila barked.

\---

Not too far from the scuffle, a lone bush swayed in the breeze. The shadow it cast swayed with it, before shifting and twisting with a life of its own. It bubbled free of its host, creeping along the ground. A red orb crept up from the blackness, swivelling around before locking onto the battle before it.

“ _Hmm, what’s this?_ ”

A duskull peeked their skull out of the shadow to better observe the scene before them. 

“Mila, distract it!” Sirius shouted, fangs glinting as he bared them.

“Right!” Mila dashed around the grumpig. It swivelled around, unleashing another blast of light after her.

_GRUMPIG used POWER GEM!_

_??? avoided the attack!_

With its back to him, Sirius leapt at the grumpig, locking his jaws onto the back of its hulking forelimb the size of his own body. Dark blood splattered across its matted fur and it grunted against the assault.

_EEVEE used BITE!_

_It’s super effective!_

Duskull watched on in earnest, their eye glinting at the spectacle before them. “ _Well, that feral is quite a fighter. That eevee sure is putting up a fight. Never seen them before though… wait…_ ” They rose up out of the shadows, eye growing large as it followed Mila. “ _Is that a… houdoom? A speed breed as well? By Arceus, where the hell could it have come from?_ ”

“Take this!” Mila roared, chest expanding as she inhaled deeply. Roiling energy filled her lungs and she unleashed it in a massive exhale.

_HOUNDOOM used SMOG!_

A thick plume of purple smoke swirled across the battlefield, billowing up around the grumpig. It barely flinched from the assault, turning its attention to Sirius who yelped at the poisonous onslaught that swirled below them. Its orbs glowed purple as it charged up another Psybeam.

“Mila! Don’t use Smog when I’m up close!” He cried, claws scrabbling to maintain a grip on the grumpig.

“Bwaah! I was just trying to breathe fire?” Mila barked, rendered frozen in place at the confusion. That wasn’t fire. How did she do it before?

If Duskull had eyes, they would have rolled them. “ _Really, Smog? Has this pokémon never battled before or something?_ _Even a newly hatched togepi knows not to endanger its teammates._ ”

Grumpig held its foreleg out, leering down at Sirius as it prepared to unleash the Psybeam at point-blank range. Trapped between the clouds of poisonous gas below and the upcoming attack above him, Sirius squeezed his eyes shut to brace against the inevitable onslaught.

Determination welled up within Mila, once again surging through her in a fiery inferno that ignited her fangs. If this pig thought it had won, it had another thing coming. Blinded by a primal bloodlust, Mila lurched forward with a growl.

The grumping seemed to smirk as she did so, its orbs shifting from a purple to a yellow glow. As she lunged, it swung around and unleashed the beam straight upon her.

_GRUMPIG used POWER GEM!_

Curse words were a fleeting thought in her mind as the blast ploughed right through her, searing pain from thousands of tiny blades searing through her body. Every sense was consumed as the blast sent her flying with barely a sound, sending her skidding across the grass.

_A critical hit!_

_It’s super effective!_

_HOUNDOOM fainted._

“MILA!” Sirius screamed. He kicked himself off the grumpig, holding his breath as he made contact with the dissipating smog. He leaped to the side to distance himself from it.

Duskull, now freed from their cloak of shadow, winced. A small _oof_ escaped their skull as the houndoom flopped lifeless on the ground.

“ _Well, it seems that it’s my turn_.” They held their appendages in front of them, inky sludge gathering between them into a ball that dripped shadow.

_DUSKULL used SHADOW BALL!_

The ball flew through the air and collided square with the grumpig’s face. The force sent it hurtling backwards with a howl, overbalancing on its hind legs before falling to the ground with a crash.

_It’s super effective!_

_GRUMPIG fainted._

Sirius’ lungs screamed in pain as he panted heavily. “Is it over…?” He murmured to himself as his eyes remained transfixed on the grumpig’s unmoving form. “Mila…” Her lifeless body caught his eyes, and a pang of fear ripped through him. “MILA!” He shouted as he galloped over to her.

“Oh gosh, oh gosh…” He repeated under his breath, gently prodding her side with his paw. Her chest slowly rose and fell beneath it, and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Whew, you’re okay…”

The sound of a throat being cleared drew his attention, and he looked up at the duskull gently floating towards him with their ‘arms’ folded. The skull was unlike that he had seen in drawings of the species, resembling that of a luxray or persian.

He didn’t question _how_ a duskull could clear its non-existent throat.

“Oh, a duskull!” Sirius exclaimed, tail wagging slightly. He raised a paw in greeting. “Thank you so much, Duskull!”

“It’s no problem.” Duskull replied smoothly. “I just happened to be passing through.”

“Oh, are you from around here? Wait, are you one of the ghosts from Treasure Town?” Sirius asked, tilting his head.

Duskull paused, their eye flickering at the question. “Treasure town?” They repeated, a tone of wistfulness lacing their voice. “Now that’s not a name I’ve heard for a long time.” They floated closer, peering down at the unconscious houndoom. “I’m curious, eevee. Where did you and your houndoom friend come from? It’s not too often one sees non-feral pokémon wandering out here.” They asked.

Sirius frowned. “I’m from the uh… Guild Fort, in Apple Woods. It’s…” He paused. “Complicated.” Mentioning that he was a runaway was probably not the best introduction. “And my companion… wait.” He shook his head. “Hound…oom?” He asked, confused. “Is that what species Mil- my companion is?”

Duskull’s glowing eye narrowed, their jaw slightly open in astonishment. “I… believe we have quite a bit to discuss, Eevee. But here in the open is no place for it.” They finally said. They twirled their arm, sending psychic psychic energy towards Mila. It gently enveloped her, suspending her limp body from the ground.

_DUSKULL used TELEKINISES!_

“Follow me. I’ll take you to Treasure Town.

I’m very interested in asking your friend some questions.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So my thesis is done! So now I can focus on art and this c:
> 
> Thanks for the support so far! Kudos and comments much appreciated!  
> There's going to be some changes between this and the original comic (as my story plans have changed), so don't expect a 1:1 retelling for now, for those that followed the comic ^^


	3. What do you fight for?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The threads of destiny begin to entwine...

The Apple Woods. Neighbour to the Haunted Woods, its branches once harbored lush foliage and succulent fruit in a time long past. Once a mystery dungeon like its brethren, its power had also long since faded and fruit no longer graced its branches. Deep within its core stood a gargantuan behemoth of a tree, once a centre of life and vitality as it blessed pokémon with its bounty. Yet now it remained a crippled husk of its former self, gnarled branches curling in upon itself as the last remaining leaves clung to its weathered form. Its trunk, once home to countless bug type colonies, was desecrated with illegible graffiti courtesy of pokémon discontent with the stone walls that surrounded them. The insides of the tree had long since been hollowed out, carved by skilled hands and claws into a shelter. A faded pink cloth covered the entrance, the symbol emblazoned upon it now faded into illegibility. A shiny chatot perched at the lip of the topmost hollow, gazing out over horizon as they listened to the staraptor recount his discovery behind them.

“…You are sure it was human?” The Guildmaster’s voice was as calm as still water, all emotions hidden deep beneath the surface.

Ren ruffled his feathers. “A human-turned-pokémon, yes sir.” He affirmed. “Just like the stories. It even admitted it when Sirius recognized the signs.”

“And Sirius is with it now?” The Guildmaster asked. The light of the red sunrise cast long shadows across the large hollow, making their shadow loom over Ren.

“Last I saw, they were headed to the grasslands out west.”

The Guildmaster hummed in thought, processing the information. “Do you know what kind of pokémon they were?” They eventually asked.

Ren raised a wing to his beak in thought. “Uh… not a species I recognize. It appeared in a ball of fire so… a fire type maybe?” The ‘maybe’ wavered in the air as his words trailed off.

“Well that’s not useful to me.” The Guildmaster’s calm disposition shattered, the once still water now rippling with the outburst. They turned their head to look back at Ren, vivid blues eye piercing his own. “Describe it.” The ‘T’ was sharp on their tongue as they clicked their beak in annoyance.

Ren would have been sweating, if he could do so. “Right, well… it was kinda like a lycanroc or boltund in appearance…” His thoughts were interrupted by a quiet cough. Ren shot a furtive glance to Leo at his side. The persian was hunched over from his own weight and leaning against the wood, unable to sit straight up. His breathing was labored, pale gums visible as he panted. Ren hurried through his explanation, eyes quickly darting back to the Guildmaster. “Yeah, and it had horns like a gogoat. It was mainly black. Covered in fur I think. Oh, and bone-like features that looked like ribs and cuffs.”

“I see…” They briefly paused to think before continuing, “sounds like a houndoom then.” The Guildmaster hummed. Leo and Ren glanced at each other in confusion upon hearing the foreign name.

“A what?” Ren asked, tilting his head.

“A fire-type pokémon, and we’re going to go find it. Leo, go see the healer for that poison. I want you in top form for this mission. Ren, rest up. I want to leave by tomorrow morning at the latest.” The Guildmaster instructed, once again adopting their calm persona.

Leo winced at the word ‘healer’. Going there would mean confronting… her.

“Uh… sir?” Leo finally spoke up after wiping away the blood splattered across his jowls. “Surely I can just get a pecha berry? It would surely be much quicker than interrupting Sa-“

“No.”

The Guildmaster’s interruption was calm and collected, yet held the force of a crawdaunt’s Guillotine as it sliced through the room. They spun around upon their perch and jumped to the wooden floor, the curled feather atop their head bobbing with the motion. “Our berry stocks are low enough as it is, I won’t have any unnecessary consumption.”

It was almost comical with how the chatot hopped towards them, avoiding the upturned crates and broken orbs that littered the room. Yet Leo wasn’t laughing, as the much smaller pokémon thrust their pink wing up at him. “You **will** go to the healer.” They demanded, almost growling.

Even though he physically towered over the chatot, Leo slunk back, feeling like a tiny meowth kitten. “Yes, sir…” He conceded.

The Guildmaster’s change in demeanor almost gave Ren and Leo whiplash. “Great!” They chirped, their long tail feathers swaying in glee. “You both did a great job! Now, go get healed up, and turn those frowns upside down.” They sung, corners of their hooked beak curling up into a sickeningly sweet grin. “A human has returned to us, after all. It’s a cause for celebration.”

Leo and Ren bowed their heads, uttering a “yes, sir” before turning to leave. A wooden staircase wound through the trunk of the tree, connecting the various hollows with the ground. The two descended the stairs and, with walls of wood separating them from prying ears, Leo let out a heavy sigh.

“That… bastard.” He growled, deliberately scratching his extended claws at the wood with each step. “I don’t know why we bothered telling them. It’s not like chasing some fairytale is going to feed us.” He stumbled at one of the steps, and Ren extended a wing to steady him. “Won’t even let me have one berry. Pah!” Leo spat at the wood.

“I don’t know, Leo.” Ren murmured. “Putting the ‘human’ thing aside… a fire type? That’s got to mean something, right?”

“Yeah, until word spreads and a horde of weavile kill it. Some hope that is.” Leo growled under his breath. The two reached the foot of the staircase, pushing aside the pink fabric that covered the entrance and stepping out into the light of the sun. Its red glow in the sky stirred the Guild Fort to life. Or what life remained within its walls, that is.

A dusty forked path lay before them. “Will you be alright to make it to Sakura’s?” Ren asked, tilting his head at the persian.

“Yeah, I’ll be fine.”

“Alright. Well, I’ll see ya later, Leo. Good luck.” Ren gave his partner a pat on the back before the two parted ways, each taking a separate branch of path.

Maybe once upon a time the Guild Fort was a thriving community, Leo believed. But it was far from that now. Vast stone walls surrounded the fledgling township, both to keep pokémon in and out. Shelters made from a mismatch of materials and hollowed out trees lined the paths, many having fallen into a state of disrepair. A mightyena poked their head out as Leo went past, gracing him with a weary smile, which he returned. Other pokémon didn’t show such pleasantries. A small group of pokémon sat huddled around a fire pit, paws, claws, and wings extended to absorb its warmth. They murmured amongst themselves, until a raichu spotted the Persian lumbering past.

“Well, lookie there folks.” She sneered. “It’s Leo. And oh look at that, no Sirius to be seen.”

Leo grimaced as he felt several sets of eyes on him, head hanging low as the pokémon jeered.

“Damn, if a puny eevee can beat ‘im up, escapin’ this shithole should be easy.” One of the pokémon, a rhydon, taunted.

“Hah! You go ahead, I’d rather stay here than take my chances _out there_. I don’t want to be ripped to shreds by ferals. Sirius will come crawling back soon enough anyway. That pipsqueak can’t even hunt a feral pidgey.”

“Yeah, and if Leo can’t catch Sirius, then what does that make him?.”

“The lousiest hunter there is. Didn’t even bring us back any meat!”

Mocking chortles rang out around him, and Leo growled and bit his tongue to stifle his retorts as he moved past. Last thing he needed was that rhydon’s Brick Break to the face.

The clustered shelters fell away behind him, as the path wove its way through an orchard. ‘Orchard being a loose term, as many of the trees and plants were fighting an uphill battle to deliver their produce, many of their leaves a dull yellow. Vines from grass type-pokemon extended up into the trees, plucking berries that seemed to grow smaller with each season. A tropius lowered its long neck to a wartortle, who picked the ripe bananas from its chin.

“Sorry, it’s all I could make.”

“Not to worry, it’s a very good harvest.”

Leo felt his stomach churn as the pokemon worked around him, his head down to avoid meeting their eyes. At least they were actually doing _something_ , and not being sent on wild cramorant chases after childrens’ fairytales. Maybe he could convince the Guildmaster to let him go hunting for food instead of ‘humans’.

His stomach churned again, this time as a result of his body fighting the toxin that seared his veins. Thankfully, he reached the end of the orchard, where two humble shelters stood.

The twisted wooden shelters had a homely vibe to them. Well, as ‘homely’ as something could feel within the Guild Fort. Small potted berry bushes stood out the front, with a fire drum burning brightly between the shelters. Thick woven ropes littered with bells connected the two, singing their soft tune as they swayed in the gentle breeze. It was almost welcoming, yet Leo had never felt more like an intruder than he did then.

Taking a deep breath to steel himself, he made his way to the larger abode, pushing aside the silken curtain that shrouded its entrance.

“…Hello, Sakura.” Leo wished he was a diglett and could escape deep into the earth.

Pots, bowls, and chains of herbs littered the hut, their purposes unknown to the persian. Gaps in the twisted wood walls allowed beams of light to shine in and dance across the slim espeon that sat upon a cushion of hay. Her large, unblinking eyes remained fixated on him and he wanted so desperately to turn around and flee.

“Leo, I’ve been expecting you.” Sakura, the espeon, greeted calmly, her twin tails dancing around her. “It seems my son has grown quite adept with his toxic ability, hm?” A small smirk graced her lips, barely noticeable.

Leo winced, lowering his head and flattering his ears. “Yeah…” He paused before spluttering out, “look, Sakura, I’m really sorry. I didn’t have a choice. Gotta do my job, y’know…” He trailed off, his words descending into a mumble.

Sakura was expressionless as she replied. “I merely jest, Leo. I hold no grudge against you.”

Leo raised his head as he stepped towards her. “It’s really dangerous out there, Sakura. Why didn’t you stop him?” He blurted out.

Sakura gave a small chuckle, the motion causing the bell that hung around her neck to jingle alongside her. “I’m the one that encouraged him, Leo. Believe me when I tell you that I know that he’s fine.”

She raised her paws to the bell around her neck, rolling it between her paws. “Now, come closer and take a seat, Leo.” She instructed, a tone of professionalism coating her words. “I would prefer to cleanse you of the toxin before you collapse upon my floor.”

Leo did as instructed, his paws feeling heavy as they dragged his body over.

A golden light began to emanate from the bell, its soothing melody enveloping him in its gemtle embrace as it draw the toxin out of his system, replacing the feeling with that of a comforting warmth.

_ESPEON used HEAL BELL!_

“The toxin is healing but I sense something else within you, Leo.” Leo averted his eyes at her statement. “Is that… a bitter grudge I sense?”

Leo wished the natural immunity of his dark typing extended further to block an espeon’s emotion reading capabilities.

“Is it against Sirius?” No malice graced her tone as she spoke gently, the ringing of her bell easing as it completed its job.

Leo kept his mouth shut, offering a small grunt in response. What was he supposed to say? That his pride was wounded? He wanted payback? He felt humiliated?

What was he, a meowth?

“As a friend and fellow pokémon, I can understand why you pursued him. We do what we must to survive here.” She stated calmly, before the gem on her head briefly flashed as her gaze darkened. “But as a parent, I advise you against some petty pursuit of revenge.” She didn’t need to growl or bare fangs to get her point across.

Leo bowed his head. “Of course, Sakura. Sorry.” He grumbled as he stood to leave. “Thanks for healing me.”

 _“How embarrassing.”_ He mentally scolded himself.

“Leo.” Sakura called after him, and he glanced back at her.

“The world is changing.” Her purple eyes swam with a knowledge of things unseen to him. “We each have our part to play. When you leave for this upcoming expedition, keep this in mind.

There is more at stake than you realise.”

\---

The rhythmic clack of talons upon the wooden floor reverberated around the hollow as the Guildmaster paced, their brows furrowed in thought.

“ _A human, again… looks like change is finally upon us_.

_But if Weavile catches wind of this…_

_I hope I can buy some time._ ”

Coming to a decision, they released a whistling tune, its melody flowing down the tree like a river. Another whistle trilled back in response, and another chatot hopped upon the edge of the hollow from below. A roll of parchment was held in its red beak, which it dropped at its feet with a small _chirp_. Its beady black eyes stared blankly as the Guildmaster uttered their thanks.

“Please ensure this gets delivered, friend.” They said before plucking a pink feather out of their wing. A gentle blue glow surrounded it as it floated in the air before the quill made contact with the paper.

_CHATOT (?) used PSYCHIC!_

The base of the feather danced across the page, scratching out words that glowed with a blue light before dulling down to resemble black ink.

_Chatot, of the Guild Fort, addressing Weavile, of the Frost Horn:_

_I am writing to inform you of a case of falling fire in Haunted Woods. My scouts are on the way to investigate. I will send another letter in the coming days to report our findings. Which brings me to my next point:_

_Although this will be a simple mission, the Guild Fort has been struggling these past few weeks. We recently had our apprentice healer run away, and productivity in our berry farms has slowed. With a large portion of our resources being allocated to hunting and scouting missions, we are finding it hard to meet our monthly quota._

_We, the Guild Fort, have been loyal and diligent under you. We are grateful for the protection you provide._

The Guildmaster felt their blood boil as they forced themself to write those words.

_Which is why I hope you will honour my request: I must ask that our next exchange be delayed. With all these factors at wing, I trust that you will understand. I expect to return to our previously discussed schedule in a month’s time. I will write again soon informing you of our discoveries regarding the falling fire. Our scouts’ preliminary observations believe it is no cause for concern, however._

_Chatot._

The other chatot took to the sky, tightly rolled parchment secured firmly within its beak. The Guildmaster watched as its silhouette grew smaller against the rising sun, blue eyes glowing against their stony expression.

“ _I hope that buys us some time…_ ”

\---

Waking up with a throbbing headache was not the most pleasant of experiences. Mila groaned as she fought against the pain in order to return to the numbness of sleep.

“Oh hey, you’re awake!”

So much for sleep.

A cheerfully bright voice forced her to crack her eyes open, sluggishly blinking against the bright light that filled the room. Groaning, she pushed herself onto her forelegs, pieces of hay from her bedding sticking to her fur. An old blanket slid down her back before catching on one of the bony plates that adorned her back. A shadowy splodge obscured her vision, and she rubbed a paw against her eyes to clear it.

Except, the shadow didn’t disappear. The ghostly figure floated in front of her, long clawed hands folded in front of it as wide, red eyes met her own. Its tail (?) hung down and coiled tightly around an ornate kitsune mask.

“Good morning!” The shadowy pokémon greeted, waving a claw at her.

Mila couldn’t help recoiling with a yelp at the uncanny sight.

“Gaah! Who are you? _What are you?_ ” She barked.

The pokemon chuckled, the top of its head flickering like a flame as they bobbed in the air. “Well, not surprised you haven’t seen a pokémon like me before. I’m N- I mean, I’m Yamask. I’m here to help.” She sung.

Mila relaxed slightly. At least this… pokémon… wasn’t trying to eat her. Her eyes narrowed as they scanned the cave-like room, memories of previous events returning to her.

She recalled fighting the grumping with Sirius. Then a bright light…

“W-where am I?” She slowly asked as her head swiveled around. She shot a piercing glare at the yamask, her lip pulling back into a snarl. “Where’s Sirius?”

“Woah, simmer down there, fireball.” Yamask appeared unfazed by the threatening gesture. “Eevee’s in the mess hall, we can go join him if you’re feeling better.”

Mila forced herself to her feet, her stomach giving a deep rumble as she did so.

“And I’m sure you must be hungry as well, after that scuffle you went through.” Yamask said brightly.

Mila gave her a sheepish look. “Yeah, maybe a bit.”

“Alrighty then, follow me, Houndoom.” Yamask motioned for Mila to follow her. She tentatively did so, her legs wobbling with every other step. “We don’t have too much, but there’s some fresh seafood for you. If Eevee hasn’t eaten it all yet.”

Mila cocked her head. “…Houndoom?” That one was new to her.

Yamask paused, frozen in the air before looking down at Mila. “You… don’t know your own species? Hmm, makes sense I guess… not like anyone’s seen a houndoom around lately…” She murmured in thought. Mila remained silent, no less confused.

Yamask continued floating down the stony corridor, Mila following suit. “Where did you come from then, Houndoom?” She asked the seemingly innocent question, not expecting the answer that she would ultimately receive.

“Well…”

\---

Sirius felt a twinge of melancholy as he sat alone within the dining hall, the vast table in front of him clearly designed for large rambunctious dinners. He could almost picture himself there in a time long past, eagerly mingling with fellow explorers as they enjoyed a hearty feast.

“Well, here you go. It’s not much, but feral ‘karp is good eating.” He was snapped out of his daydream by Duskull setting fine sashimi strips on a bed of leaves before him. “Been a while since I prepped anything for you living folk…” They sounded almost sheepish as they shrugged.

Sirius bowed his head. “Thank you so much, Duskull.” He eagerly thanked them before tentatively taking a bite of one of the slices. The natural saltiness washed over his tongue, which complimented the sweetness of the meat. He made a contented noise before swallowing. “I’ve never had ocean meat before. This is really nice, thank you!” Sirius enthusiastically praised.

Duskull floated over to the other side of the table, enjoying the praise thrust upon him. “Eat as much as you want, Eevee. I can always prepare more when your houndoom friend joins us.”

The silence was amicable, broken only by the sounds of Sirius’ consumption. “I feel bad,” Sirius said sheepishly. “Do you want some? If you can… that is… uh….” He stuttered, trailing off as he scolded himself for the rude question. “Sorry.”

Duskull chuckled at the eevee’s flustering. “It’s alright, Eevee. While I can eat physical food, I can’t taste it.” They pointed at their open jaw, the eerie void within sending a shiver down Sirius’ spine.

There was a brief pause before Duskull spoke up, changing the subject. “Y’know, not too many pokémon still use formal etiquette nowadays, Most pokémon don’t really bother. True names are more common knowledge than common names. Was that something they taught in the Guild Fort?” The question was innocent enough to mask the duskull’s eagerness to learn about the Fort.

Sirius hummed, swallowing his mouthful of food before replying. “Hmm… Kind of? My mother was really strict in teaching me manners and whatnot. But most other pokémon didn’t really care for it.” He shrugged.

Duskull nodded. “I see. I hope you don’t mind my probing but I’m just curious; how did you leave that place.” They asked, and Sirius instinctively winced. Duskull quickly added, “Don’t worry, I’m not affiliated with them.”

Sirius breathed a sigh of relief, the duskull’s comforting presence allowing him to open up. “It’s a… long story.” He paused. “Well, _how_ I escaped was easy. My mother helped me prepare stun seed powder, and it was just a matter of stunning the chatots and slipping past the gate. They sent a team of scouts after me, but I managed to lose them in the woods. That’s where I met Mila actually.”

“Heh, serves those birdbrains right.” Duskull scoffed.

A faint shout, muffled by the stone walls, made Sirius pause as his ear twitched at the sound. Shrugging it off he continued.

“As for why…” The events of the previous night flashed through his mind, from the final conversation with his mother to fighting the grumpig. He honed in on that conversation and jumped up in alarm as he recalled _why_ he was here. “Oh, shoot, almost forgot!” He barked. “Duskull! Do you know if-“

As if the fates were taunting him, he was interrupted by Yamask bursting into the room, her gaseous body leaving a trail of wispy shadows behind her.

The next few seconds comprised of a chaotic cacophony of noise.

“Tank! For Arceus’ sake, Tank!” Yamask yelled. Tank, the duskull, flicked their eye over to her, unfazed by the outburst.

Mila ran in behind her, eyes wide as she frantically looked around in bewilderment. “Woah, jeez! What’s going on here?” She barked.

Sirius’ ears perked up as he saw her, tail rapidly thumping against the ground. “Oh, Mila! You’re okay!” He exclaimed.

“Why didn’t you tell me this pokémon was a human?”

Yamask’s question brought the room to a screeching silence.

Sirius froze. His ears fell and his mouth pulled into a tight line. Tank stared at him, their red eye obscured by the bridge between the two hollow sockets.

“Because I didn’t know, Namira.” Their calm voice eventually broke the silence. “Is this true, Eevee?”

“I was uh… getting to that bit, actually.” Sirius replied stiffly.

The three pokémon turned their heads to look at Mila, who stepped back in surprise from the sudden scrutiny. “W-what’s going on?” She hesitantly asked. “Sirius?” She looked over at him for guidance.

“Mila… come over and have something to eat.” Sirius patted the table, inviting her over.

“ _Oh great, am I in trouble?”_

“Uhh… okay…” She warily walked over, sitting herself down next to the eevee. Tank’s eye followed her movements.

“…Tank, was it?” Mila started, but was quickly interrupted by Sirius tapping her shoulder.

“They’re a Duskull. It’s polite to address them as such.” He whispered up at her.

There were more important topics to focus on instead of wasting time questioning the logic. “…Duskull. Am I going to get a side of answers with my food?” She asked.

“Of course, Houndoom.” Tank would have smirked at her wit, if they could. “Well, what happened is your laughable incompetence in battle forced me to save your life and rescue you both from that feral grumpig. So, you’re safe for now. I guess if you really are a new human, that would explain such incompetence. But no matter. I’m curious as to what exactly happened before you met your eevee friend in the woods.”

“…Incompetence?” Mila deadpanned.

Sirius quickly pushed the remainder of his food towards her as a distraction from the not-so-thinly-veiled insult. “Oh, I saved these for you by the way.”

It worked, her ears comically perking up. Her mouth watered before she quickly devoured the morsels.

“Well, I don’t remember what happened before…” She explained, jaws still full of food. “I just remember waking up in this strange world.”

“She fell out of the sky in a ball of fire.” Sirius added, shifting himself slightly to avoid being splattered with the carnage that was Mila’s messy eating.

Tank hummed in thought. “Right, so let me get this straight. You fell out of the sky, Sirius found you when you woke up, and you can’t remember anything?”

Mila swallowed. “Yep.” She confirmed.

“And the only ‘memory’ you have is that you’re definitely not a pokémon, you just _know_ that you’re human?”

Mila was quiet as she nodded in response.

Tank and Namira glanced at each other, unspoken words exchanged between them.

“You’re not the only one this has happened to, Houndoom.” Tank finally said, solemnly. “It has been many, many years since the last. I didn’t even think it was possible to happen again. But there have been several humans who came to this world before you, finding themselves in situations not unlike your own. They all come here due to one reason.”

Sirius narrowed his eyes, the gears in his brain turning as he connected the dots. “…I remember my mother used to tell me stories about the humans. The way Mila was acting… that’s how I knew.” His voice lowered almost to a whisper, as he continued. “So does that mean…”

The atmosphere grew heavy as Tank nodded. “Yes, Eevee.” Their words hung in the air, and Mila lowered her head from the weight of them. “Your Houndoom friend was sent here, transformed into a pokémon, to save our world. Just like those who came before.”

The following silence was deafening, the clack of Tank’s skull echoing around the room. Mila could feel her heart thundering in her chest, as she processed what she heard.

“… To save the world? I’m here… to save this world?” She murmured.

This was all so sudden that it couldn’t be true. Could it?

“That’s right.” Tank affirmed her thoughts. Sirius and Namira, the yamask, shot each other concerned looks.

Mila was trapped, backed into the proverbial corner at the claims thrust upon her. Surely, they weren’t true. She wasn’t one to save the world. Right?

But then again, she didn’t even know who she was.

“Why me, huh?” Mila eventually grumbled before raising her voice. “Why me? I sure as hell don’t remember signing up for this. Heck, I don’t remember anything at all! I know nothing about this place, this world, or even what you all are.”

Sirius’ ears drooped as he gave a small whine at her outburst.

“Why exactly does this world need **me** to save it, hm?” Mila snapped as she thrust her paw at Tank.

Tank and Namira were frozen in the air, eyes fixed on the houndoom. Tank eventually broke the silence, gesturing for Mila to follow them. “Houndoom, follow me. There’s something you need to see. Namira, take care of Eevee.” They calmly instructed.

“Sure thing, Tank!” Namira’s bubbly voice broke the sullen air that hung around them. “Come on, I’ll introduce you to some of the other ghosts! They love having visitors!”

Namira floated out of the hall, with Sirius scampering after her. Tank paused, waiting for Mila. She huffed a sigh before joining them.

“Tell me, Houndoom. What do you think this place is?” Tank asked, floating down the hallway.

Mila trotted after them. “Uhh… a weird cave haunted by weird ghosts?” She quipped.

Tank chuckled. “You remind me of myself when I was alive.”

Well, that was a grim statement.

“But no. Look around. A long time ago, probably before Sirius’ grandparents time, this place was an explorer’s guild.”

They stopped in a large atrium. Mila had barely noticed it when she ran past earlier, but now had time to fully absorb it. Vines grew wildly across the surfaces, clustered around spaces where water dripped from the ceiling. A large cauldron lay upturned, its contents long since solidified into an enigmatic muck. A strange ladder wound its way through the ceiling, accompanied by a staircase that disappeared into the rock. Piles of crumbling rock were strewn haphazardly, with a large pile blocking what seemed to be a doorway. Light filtered in through a hole in the wall, illuminating specks of dust that drifted in the air.

“Doesn’t look like much now.” Mila murmured as her eyes scanned the room.

“Very observant. Although, a freshly hatched togepi could see that. Why do you think it’s like this, hm?” They turned to her as they posed the question. “Where do you think the explorers went?” They floated up the staircase, beckoning for Mila to follow them.

Mila wanted to shoot back a sarcastic remark, but held her tongue. Tank’s sullen voice made the atmosphere inhospitable for witticisms. “I’m guessing something bad happened.” Mila finally said.

They climbed higher and higher as the staircase slithered its way through the rock. “Correct. Something bad did happen. Something very bad.” Tank said slowly. As they neared the top, the red glow of the sun shone down on them. “It required the guild and the entire town… well, those who survived… to evacuate.”

Mila squinted against the bright light as they reached the top of the stairs. Tank continued their explanation. “And those that didn’t, well, we stayed here to aid the few travellers gutsy enough to pass through. Essentially carrying on the spirit of Treasure Town as, well, spirits.”

The realization of their words hit Mila like a Thunderpunch. “W-wait, are you saying that you…” She paused, unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry.” She finally said.

“… Here’s a tip for you, Houndoom: Do not pity us ghost pokémon. I could easily ‘move on’ if I wanted to.” Tank responded flatly as they floated in place. “If a ghost is trying to make you pity them, they’re probably out to steal your soul.”

Lovely. Mila made a small grunt of affirmation.

Tank gestured for her to follow them outside. “Here, come see it for yourself, Houndoom.”

Her jaw fell open, eyes going wide with shock as she stepped out into the light. She didn’t know what she expected, but the scene that lay before her was not it.

Brown and blue.

An expanse of brown, rocky earth and lifeless trees spread out below them before halting at the grey ocean. Splintered wood and upturned braziers were strewn across the clifftop at which they stood, mirroring the chaos down below. Houses of wood and stone were blown apart, illuminated by the glow of blue fire that feasted upon their corpses. The fires twisted and lapped at the air, almost as if alive. At the edge of the devastated township, where the land loomed over the sea, stood a great column of ghostly blue fire. It roared into the air like the fiery breath of a great beast, never spreading yet never dying.

“Is that… fire?” Mila finally asked, softly.

“Correct.” Tank’s red eye was invisible, their skull appearing more lifeless than usual. “That fire fell from the sky, and instantly destroyed this town.

Their next statement was laden with the years of grief buried beneath their skull. “You were wondering how I know you were brought here to save the world?

Because I was like you. Namira and I, we saved the world. Twice, in fact.

But when we were called upon to save it for a third time, we failed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments much appreciated! Means a lot to me c:


	4. Of friends and frost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mila makes some friends. A threat emerges.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments so far! I appreciate all of them so much c:  
> This is the chapter where we start diverging from the comic. As I let go of that crutch, here's hoping I can keep everything flowing ^^;;

Mila didn’t know how to feel.

Her body was on autopilot as she wandered aimlessly through the twisting labyrinth of the old guild, the chittering shadows of ghost pokémon went unnoticed by her. Tank’s words circled around in her head, endlessly repeating themselves as they painted a grisly scene of the township’s downfall.

Tank was like her: They were a human who came to save the world.

But they couldn’t stop the blue fire that fell from the sky, and ultimately perished in it.

And now, she had to take their place, apparently.

When Mila had asked what she had to do to save the world, Tank simply replied with a quiet “I don’t know.” They had allowed her time to gather her thoughts, which sent her on her aimless drifting through the hollow halls.

Frustration boiled at her veins from the confusion that continued to swarm her. Grief sat heavy in her gut from the sight of the ravaged township and empty hallways. Fear gnawed at the back of her mind, whispering reminders of how she could become just like Tank. Her frustrations escaped in a puff of smoke from her nose.

“Hey there, Houndoom! You doin’ okay?” Namira’s perky chirp snapped her out of her daze. The shadowy yamask bobbed in the air in front of he, a small smile gracing her features.

“Huh? Oh, yeah…” Mila replied flatly. “Just…”

“A lot to take in?” Namira’s voice softened.

Mila nodded in response. The yamask gently floated besides her as she continued wandering down the hallway.

“Tank shouldn’t have sprung that on you right off the bat, he can be a bit… impulsive sometimes.” Namira sighed. “But don’t stress too much, Houndoom. Just focus on making yourself at home for now.”

There it was again, the word ‘houndoom’. It felt strange, being addressed to as such. “Thanks, Yamask.” Mila smiled, feeling the turmoil within her slowly dissipate. “Also, uh, my name is Mila, by the way.”

Namira’s eyes widened. “Oh!” She exclaimed in astonishment, before quickly adding, “Uh… well then, sure thing, Mila.”

Mila tilted her head at the reaction to the seemingly normal statement. “Something wrong with it?” She warily asked.

“Oh, no not at all.” Namira hastily assured her. “I guess you wouldn’t know…” She paused and hummed in thought. “It’s generally polite to refer to pokémon by their common names when they haven’t introduced themselves to you, is all. Introducing your true name is a sign of friendship for most species. At least back in my time. Pokémon don’t really seem to care much about formalities nowadays.” She chuckled. “Well you know what, since you introduced yourself, I’m happy to do the same. My name is Namira.”

Mila smirked. “Nice to officially meet you, Namira. Does that mean we’re friends now?”

“If you want, Mila.” Namira said with a warm chuckle.

The heavy atmosphere had lifted, replaced with a light-hearted aura that made Mila’s tail softly wag. “Wait… Sirius introduced himself pretty quickly after we met...” She thought out loud.

“Well, Eevee does know his manners, so I’d say he trusted you pretty quickly.” Namira said with a soft smile.

Mila’s tail sped up, knocking the rocky wall beside her. She glanced back over her shoulder, mentally trying and failing to force it to stop.

“You two remind me of how Tank and I first met. Poor thing was washed up on the beach, all battered up. But we became close really quickly; we had a lot in common, being outcasts in our own way.” Namira mused before scratching the back of her head with a sheepish grin. “Fate has a way of bringing pokémon together, I guess.”

Fate.

Fate was a fickle thing, and Mila found herself briefly wondering what it had in store for her. Things could have been much worse, she mused. She could have been alone in that forest, alone and left to die at the hooves of the feral grumpig. A grisly thought that she quickly shook away.

“Namiraaa!” A childish trill interrupted her thoughts as purple gas leaked out of the wall, forming itself into a wide-eyed gaseous face in front of them. “Shuppet is fighting with Phantump again!” The gastly whined.

Mila remained unfazed by the wispy entity; the novelty of encountering bizarre creatures had since worn off.

Namira chuckled under her breath. “Excuse me, Mila, I need to check on some troublemakers.” Her body began dissolving into smoky tendrils that melted into the wall, before she froze to add, “Eevee is at the beach, by the way. He was worried about you, so might be a good idea to check in with him. Take the path straight down the cliff from the guild entrance, you can’t miss it.” She explained, before dissipating completely into the wall with the gastly.

Mila suddenly found herself alone. As she looked around, she realized she had no idea where she was in the guild and was very much lost.

After frantically swivelling her head around to get her bearings, she opted to take the safest option and go back the way she came. Odds are she would come across a familiar waypoint.

Except that she had been so occupied in her earlier musings that when she reached a fork in her path, nothing about it seemed familiar. To both the left and right of her were identical paths lined with crumbling rock walls. A sign hung haphazardly on the wall, but the information it contained had long since faded away. Mila looked around once again in an attempt to see if any lurking ghost pokémon could guide her, but she was only met with silence.

With a shrug, she took the right path. She had a good hunch about it.

The hall seemed familiar. Although it was hard to tell, given how uniform this part of the guild looked. “ _That moss patch definitely looks familiar,_ ” Mila thought to herself. The vegetation was steadily growing thicker the further she went along, the stone walls embellished with curtains of vines and moss. That certainly wasn’t a familiar feature…

Mila eventually realised that this was indeed the wrong path, as it abruptly came to a dead end with an unfamiliar sight at the end of the hallway. A partially boarded up entranceway stood ahead of her, obscured by rotting curtains and piles of moss-covered rubble. Wooden boards, deliberately placed, barred it off from intruders. Definitely not the exit.

And definitely somewhere she shouldn’t be.

As she turned around to leave, a faint sound reached her, causing her to halt in her tracks and perk her ears up.

_“…..SSTTTCHHHH……..TTTTTTTT…….”_

It had a bizarre tinny reverb that made her fur stand on end, and her ears swivelled to locate the source. Turning back to the end of the hall, her ears flicked forward.

_“…..TA……TAT……..TATTY…..”_

She really should have turned around and walked the other way. After all, someone clearly didn’t want any visitors there.

_“W…SSTTCCHHH….RE…STTCHCHCHC….HIDDEN….STCHCHCHC….LAND…..CCCHHH”_

The noise had grown louder, its grating metallic sound sent a shiver down her spine. It was an unnatural sound, almost otherworldly. She might not have been allowed in… but surely one peek wouldn’t hurt? Her curiosity was piqued, and it needed to be sated.

Hesitantly, she slowly stepped forward, craning her neck to peer over the barricades to catch a glimpse into the room. From what she could see, it was completely dark with no lanterns or windows.

_“SSSCHHH…SOME….NOT….RIGHT…..TIME…SSCHHHH….”_

As the noise pierced her ears once again, a gentle blue glow caught her eyes and she strained her neck to get a better look. The only thing she could see was a softly glowing blue orb, perfectly round except for the large crack that scarred its otherwise pristine surface. With each garbled noise it emitted so too did it unleash a pulse of light.

_“….SCCHH….MUM…..SCHH….”_

The noise faded out into silence, the light from the orb dying down to once again be consumed by darkness. Mila stood frozen, the gears in her mind rapidly turning to try and comprehend what she just witnessed.

_“What the heck was that?”_

“You should leave.” Namira’s voice suddenly called out, its previous cheerfulness non-existent. “Tank will get upset if he finds you here.”

Mila spun around wide-eyed to face Namira, who had silently floated up behind her.

_“Oh shit. Did I stumble upon their evil secret? Are they going to kill me? Steal my soul?”_

Except no malice graced the yamask’s features. Instead she appeared almost… despondent. Her wispy form was slightly hunched over, her signature mask ensnared tightly within the grasp of her claws. Her eyes were dull, void of their previous brightness.

Mila hastily blurted out an apology. “S-sorry. I got lost… I heard a noise and got distracted is all… I’ll just be on my way-“

“You heard a noise? From in there?” Namira quickly interrupted, her eyes blazing with an unknown emotion.

“Uhh, yeah, from that weird glowing orb thing.” Mila replied.

At that, Namira froze within the air. Mila could have sworn that time froze, were it not for the subtle trembling of the yamask as the grip on her mask tightened. Mila thought she could see the pale mask emit a faint glow. Eventually, Namira released the breath she had been holding and let out a defeated sigh.

“…You’re imagining things, Mila. That orb is broken. It was probably another ghost pokémon.” She eventually said, voice heavy with resignation. 

“I don’t know, it was this really weird sou-“Mila started, but was promptly cut off.

“Come on, I’ll show you the way.” Namira hastily interjected.

Mila sensed the yamask’s plea to drop the subject and promptly did so as she quietly followed her through the guild, the bizarre sound continuing to repeat itself in her mind.

\---

The further one travelled inland, away from the fires of Treasure Town and the walls of the Guild Fort, the colder it became. Grey clouds grew thicker, obscuring the sky as they unleashed their frozen deluge upon the mountains below. Trees fell away, replaced by barren hills capped with ice and snow. Frozen spikes grew up from the ground, curling up towards the large frozen peak that dwarfed all those below it. Completely encased in frigid ice, the Frost Horn, formerly known as Mt Horn, loomed over the world below. Dark clouds encircled its crown of frozen spikes, unleashing a furious blizzard that almost completely blacked out the sun.

Atop the frozen pinnacle sat a chatot, its feathers fluffed up against the frigid wind that howled around it. Its beady black eyes stared up at the figure looming over it, their face obscured by the parchment held in its long, gnarled claws.

“Our scouts’ preliminary observations believe it is no cause for concern, however…” The silken voice repeated the words written on the parchment, before letting out a bored huff. “Well, whatever.” Sharp claws flashed and the parchment was instantly torn to ribbons that caught on the wind, blown away into the cloudy void.

Weavile slouched back upon her icy throne, resting her cheek against the flat side of her claws as she leered down at the chatot. “We got enough food from you lot for the time being. Your guildleader, or whatever they’re called, has been very co-operative, so I’ll let it slide.” She said with a sneer.

The chatot continued to blink up at Weavile, unfazed by their leering. “Sheesh, you chatots are weird.” Weavile deadpanned. “No reaction?”

Chatot just tilted its head at her.

Weavile sighed, leaning back and clacking her claws together in thought. “Falling fire… that’s what’s most worrying. It certainly is suspicious. Could it have something to do with that weird flash last night?” She murmured to herself, running a claw through the slicked back feathers atop her head.

“ _Fire…”_

The low growl echoed through the ice, causing the chatot to ruffle its feathers at the vibrations. Unfazed, Weavile turned her head to look over her shoulder. Dark shadows within the ice shifted, growing larger to form a black mass that lurked beneath the frozen barrier.

“What are your thoughts on it, Lord Kyurem?” Weavile asked slowly.

The shadow shifted, and the immense outline of the dragon in question formed within the ice, dwarfing Weavile many times over. Its features remained obscured within the icy tomb, except for the piercing gold eye that glowed within the darkness. “That fire brought a disturbance.” It snarled, its booming voice sending tremors across the icy peak. “It is very faint but… I sense a threat.” Kyurem’s silhouette faded back into shadow as it retreated back into the abyss. “Investigate it. And get rid of it.” Although its presence was fleeting, its final growl continued to reverberate across the ice, ensuring its presence continued to be felt.

Weavile hummed, brows knitted together in thought as she looked down at her claws and pondered her Lord’s words. If Kyurem told her to do something directly, she would gladly oblige.

“As you wish, Lord Kyurem.” She murmured under her breath, knowing the great dragon would catch her words. She held a claw up to her face, frigid air swirling between the hooked nails as she channelled her energy into them. Chunks of ice and snow were drawn in from the air around them as frozen shards formed between the claws, the edges sharpened into deadly points unlike anything found in nature. With a thrust of her arm, Weavile sent the fragments hurtling into the sky, where they hovered in place from an unseen force before slicing through the air and around the curve of the mountain.

_WEAVILE used ICE SHARD!_

The shards moved with purpose, pulled along an invisible string to their destination. On this part of the mountain the frozen spikes grew tall and wild, clawing up and slashing at the sky. In one spot, the wall of ice was scarred by a deep cave that snaked its way through the mountain, a black scar upon the white crown. The ice shards were swallowed by the darkness as they hurtled into the crevice, speeding up as they approached their destination.

\---

Nevoia enjoyed the quiet and solitude offered by the frigid walls that surrounded him. He didn’t have to think, nor did he have to speak. He could quietly enjoy the primal sensation of tearing meat and crushing bone with his fangs as he devoured the last of his meal. Here, he didn’t have to don masks or adopt personas to interact with other pokémon. He could just simply exist, relishing in his primal instincts.

Which is why when shards of ice flew into his domain, slicing through the air and embedding themselves in the frozen wall with a muted _thud_ , he unleashed a snarl of annoyance at his disturbed meal. Whatever this was, it had damn sure be well worth his time. The bone he had been gnawing on clattered to the ground as the absol raised himself up.

“On my way, Lord Weavile.” He rasped.

\---

Weavile found herself in an impromptu staring contest with the chatot. No matter how hard she focused, she never saw it blink. It just stared at her, no emotion within its dark eyes. She couldn’t get a read on it, and it sent her fur bristling. What was it? Not a feral, certainly. But not a regular pokémon, right?

“Alright, stop staring at me already.” Weavile spat, turning her head to avoid the bird’s gaze. “Just fly back home and tell Chatot it’s fine, ‘kay?” She dismissed the chatot with a wave of her claw.

The chatot seemed to understand the instruction. With a small _chirp_ , it spread its wings and took to the sky, rapidly flapping them to fight against the swirling winds. The gale forced several blue feathers to break free from its wings and drift down to the ice below. However, it eventually caught a gust at its back, sending it flying off to be consumed by a blanket of cloud. As the feathers fluttered on the wind, Weavile reached up, ensnaring one in her claw. It emitted a soft purple light, which only intensified as she held it up to her face to closely examine.

“Hmm… How interesting…” She muttered under her breath with a small smirk.

The clack of gnarled claws scraping against the ice and a ragged voice drew her attention away from the strange feather. “You summoned me, Lord Weavile?”

Nevoia leapt over the jagged spires before deftly landing in front of the weavile, his matted pale fur billowing wildly against the wind. His hulking stature easily dwarfed the smaller pokémon, his large scythe-like claws could easily snap her slim ones. A golden band adorned his curved horn, the white stone embedded in it glittered like the snow falling around them.

“I have a job for you, Nevoia.” Weavile said calmly as she peered up at the monstrous absol. Soulless red eyes glowered down at her as he snarled, but she remained unfazed as she continued. “I want you to go to the Guild Fort, in Haunted Woods. You should be able to follow that chatot that just left.” She instructed, pointing a claw at the absol.

Nevoia’s lips pulled back, exposing jagged fangs. “And what am I to do there?” He growled.

Weavile pushed herself to her feet, craning her neck to look him in the eye. For such an intimidating pokémon, she was really quite petite, Nevoia mused. It was amusing, how a pokémon with so much power and control could easily be snapped between his claws. If only she didn’t have that dragon watching her back…

“This is a direct request from Lord Kyurem.” She said sternly. “There was falling fire near the Guild Fort. Lord Kyurem senses a threat. I want you to identify it and do what you must to eliminate this ‘threat’ before the Guild Fort can use it against us.”

Eliminate. Now that was a word that Nevoia liked. Much more fun than boring debt collections.

He expressed his glee with a toothy sneer. “Sounds like fun.”

Weavile held up a claw to caution him. “But be wary, Nevoia. Chatot’s lackeys may not be the brightest but…” She held out the other claw, upon which sat the blue feather. It glowed softly as it melted between the hooked nails, purple ooze dripping down onto the ice. “Ditto can be quite unpredictable.”

Nevoia huffed in indignation. “Right. Just make sure you have my reward ready when I return. This won’t take long.” He said gruffly.

He stepped back, and Weavile sat back down to watch as the white stone in Nevoia’s horn band began to glow. White tendrils erupted from it, ensnaring the absol in their grasp. Claws of light dug into his flesh, pulling at and moulding the body in their grasp. A lesser pokémon may have felt uncomfortable or overwhelmed at the experience of mega evolving, but Nevoia relished in the surge of power that exploded through his veins. His hulking form grew even larger, as a second horn erupted out of his skull. The flesh of his back morphed and stretched as vast feathered wings sprouted from his shoulders and stretched up towards the sky.

The light receded, leaving the mega absol to stretch his limbs and bask in the raw energy that pulsed through his body. His eyes burned red beneath his dishevelled mane of fur, now grown even thicker from the stone’s energy. With a powerful beat of his large wings, Nevoia leapt into the sky. The powerful winds and furious snowfall were mere breezes to him as he soared down to the world below.

The hunt was on, and he just needed to identify his prey.

\---

Sirius’ muzzle wrinkled and his brows knitted together as he turned the reed net over in his paws, thoroughly looking it over in an attempt to decode its mysteries. He knew _how_ to use it, Namira had given him a brief run-over regarding its usage.

The only issue was the lack of thumbs. Or fingers, for that matter.

There _was_ a way for a quadruped like himself to use it, he just couldn’t figure it out. He could hold one end in his jaws but would need another pokémon to hold the other end, unless he found a rock to anchor it to. Looking down at the crashing waves from the rocky outcropping he sat upon, he considered jumping into the water and hunting for food with his own paws, vaporeon style.

Too bad he didn’t know how to swim. With a sigh, he let the net fall from his paws to his feet as he rubbed his temples.

“Need some help there?” Mila’s voice called to him.

He didn’t notice her initial arrival, but his tail thumped against the rock when her voice drew his attention. “Oh, Mila!” He beamed, hoisting the net onto his back as he deftly bound across the rocks to meet her on the sand. “I sure could use some help but firstly…” He said with a chuckle, before his voice softened. “How are you feeling? I know things must be quite overwhelming.” He asked, looking up at her.

Mila shrugged, absentmindedly pawing at the soft sand beneath her paws. “I dunno… kinda confused, maybe? I think the initial shock of talking dogs and skull ghosts has worn off though.”

“Still have no idea what a ‘dog’ is, but glad you’re feeling better.” Sirius said with a toothy grin.

“The whole saving the world thing… that still feels a bit…” Mila paused, unable to find the right word. “I dunno, it’s hard to wrap my head around it.” She admitted with a sigh.

Sirius processed her words in silence before speaking up. “I can only imagine. It must be rough.” He sat down, shrugging the net off his shoulders to hold it in his paws, idly manipulating it between them. “We’re both a bit lost right now. So I guess that’s something we have in common.”

Mila joined him, seating herself and lowering her head so she was at eye level with him. “Really? You seem like you have things under control. More than me, at least.”

Sirius gave a small chuckle. “I thought I did but…” He paused, looking out over the horizon. The waves crashing against the shore was a calming sound, one he thought he would be more excited to hear for the first time. The sparkle of the ocean as it reached the horizon; its vastness was truly astounding. Yet a sinking feeling in his gut prevented him from truly appreciating it.

“I came here looking for someone… my father, actually. To help me get away from my old life.” He admitted softly. “He’s not here, though, and none of the ghosts have seen him so… I’m not sure of what to do now. I don’t know where to begin looking.”

Mila thought back to Namira’s words, of how she and Tank felt like they were both outcasts. She felt a strange kinship for the eevee stir within her core. She decided against probing any further and instead raised a paw, gently patting him on the back. His eyes snapped to her and his ears pricked up, slightly taken aback by the gesture.

“Well, we’re both a bit unsure of things now. So I’m down to help you in your search.” She declared with a hearty bark.

“Thank you, Mila.” Sirius beamed. “And I’ll do my best to help you, whatever you decide to do.”

Clouds of sand kicked up as both their tails wagged, a silent kinship forming between the two. The gentle singing of the waves hitting the sand echoed around them, and Sirius found himself finally able to appreciate its beauty.

“So, what’s up with this net thing?” Mila finally asked, gesturing to the object in question.

Sirius held it up between his paws. “Oh, it’s a net for catching feral water-type pokémon. Yamask gave it to me. I was hoping to catch myself some lunch but…” He paused, his cheeks turning rosy underneath his silver fur. “I can’t use it by myself, I need someone else to hold the other end.”

“Well, show me how to use it then.”

Sirius gave a grunt of affirmation, standing up and spreading the net out across the sand. “Well, the best way I can think of is we both hold one end each.” He explained, gesturing to the long ropes that extended out of the net’s body. “Then we lower it into the water, and the sweet scent on it should attract feral pokémon. Then it’s just a matter of pulling it up.” He took one of the ropes into his jaws as an example.

Mila hesitated before following suit with the other end, wincing as sand particles hit her tongue. With the net secured between the two, Sirius gestured his paw towards the rocky outcropping. The pair trotted over to it, the net trailing in the sand behind them.

“Awrigh… Here ish good.” Sirius’s words were muffled by the rope as he pointed at the water below them. “On fwee we fwow it in. One… two…fwee.”

At that, the two pokémon thrust their heads, sending the net hurtling out and dropping into the see below. They braced themselves against the rocks as its force threatened to pull them in alongside it.

“Sho, we jush wai here-“ Mila asked through the mouthful of rope, but cut herself off with a high pitched _yip_ as a sharp force suddenly jolted her forward.

Did they seriously catch something already?

Sirius and Mila crouched down, bracing themselves against the opposing force pulling on the net. “Pull, Mila! Pull!” Sirius garbled, growling slightly as he jerked the rope back.

The battle was on, and Mila did as instructed, clenching her jaw as she followed suit. They quickly fell into an unspoken rhythm in tugging the rope and then taking a step back. Tug, step, tug, step.

The force fighting against them quickly gave way as their catch was hoisted from the water, obscured by the rocky outcroppings. “Jush a lil’ more!” Sirius encouraged, his ears perked in full concentration.

Mila, feeling confident, suddenly took a step back that was slightly too large, her backside bumping up against the rocks. Startled by the sudden impact, her grip on the rope loosened. A loud _splash_ was heard as her rope went flying over the edge, their catch freeing itself and returning to the sea. Sirius stumbled at the sudden shift in weight, falling on his rump with a yelp and hastily trapping the rope between his paws to prevent it from falling into the depths as well.

The two took a second to catch their breaths after the scuffle. Mila shot Sirius a sheepish grin. “Sorry…”

Sirius returned the expression. “Don’t worry, we can try again. If the scent hasn’t worn off yet…”

His thoughts flashed back to their… less than remarkable battle with the grumpig. If they were to continue to work together from now on, battling or otherwise, they really needed to work on their co-ordination.

“ _Well, now is as good a time as any.”_ He thought to himself, as he hoisted the net up to try again.

\---

_“Tatty?_

_Tatty, we’re at the Hidden Land but…_

_Something’s not right._

_Tatty? Mum?_

_Are any of you there?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case some confusion comes up, a pokemon's name with a capital letter (Yamask) refers to the specific pokemon in question, whereas lowercase refers to the species in general (the yamask)


	5. When thunder splits the earth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tank reminisces, Mila and Sirius train, and the Guild encounters a monster house.

“Good day, you two.”

Tank’s humble greeting echoed through the air as they slowly rose from the gnarled shadows of the corpse-like trees that lined the beach path. Sirius and Mila halted in their tracks, reeling back at the sudden appearance. The empty net, previously strewn across both their shoulders, fell to the earth and created a cloud of dust around their paws.

“Oh, uh, hello Duskull.” Sirius quickly regained composure and hastily returned the greeting with a wave of his paw.

Mila nodded at Tank in acknowledgement, before muttering under her breath, “Do they really have to do that? Spooky.” A shiver ran along her spine and sent her fur bristling.

If Tank heard her, they didn’t acknowledge it. Their red eye instead locked onto her, flickering brightly and illuminating the surrounding bone. “I’m guessing you two aren’t busy right now?” They asked.

Sirius gave a sheepish chuckle, looking down at the net at his feet. “Well, no. Fishing didn’t exactly work out… I’ll ask Yamask for help later.”

Mila felt a twinge of embarrassment at the recent memory, her dark fur obscuring the flush of her cheeks. Many times they had gotten close to a catch and every one of those times she had found a way to screw it up. Being too aggressive, not aggressive enough, and at one point almost resorting to jumping into the water itself out of pure frustration. With each failed attempt her determination and irritation grew, which only served to throw off their already poor co-ordination. Ultimately, Sirius had suggested they take a break and try again later with Namira’s help.

She admired how collected he had appeared through it all, any frustrations of his own well concealed beneath his calm demeanour.

“I’m not a fisherman. Or fisher-hound, I should say.” Mila admitted with a shrug.

“Hm, fair enough.” Tank folded their arms behind them as they gently floated towards the pair. “In that case, go get yourselves fed and watered back at the guild. Houndoom, I want you to meet me back there at the beach.” They instructed.

The pair tilted their heads at the duskull, whose static skull remained as emotionless as ever. “Wha- Why?” Mila asked, one ear pricked up in curiosity.

Tank gave a low hum, their eye narrowing. “You need to be trained, Houndoom. You won’t survive five minutes out there at this rate, believe me.”

Mila blinked in confusion at their curt words. “Huh?” She responded with a tilt of her head. “Trained… as in to fight?”

Tank nodded. “Indeed. You have very little control over your moves, but I guess that is to be expected given your… situation. I will do my best to teach you what I know.”

Mila blinked, before letting out an enthusiastic bark. “Sure thing, Duskull. Sounds fun.”

Sirius’ ears pricked up at that, his tail twitching. “I’d like to join as well. If that’s alright, that is.” The duskull was no doubt quite powerful, if they could take down that grumping in one shot. Maybe they’d help him become stronger.

Tank nodded and made a small noise of affirmation. “Very well. I will see you both soon.” They said, once again sinking into the ground to be consumed by shadows.

\---

The sun hung high in the sky, unobscured by the dark clouds that so often stifled its warmth. The last time the sky was this clear, Tank didn’t know. It was a calming sight, igniting a familiar feeling of comfort. The ocean before them sparkled like a sea of diamonds as it caught the sun’s rays, a scene that stirred up foggy memories within their skull.

Their arm dropped down to idly swirl circles into the sand. Its cold grittiness went unnoticed beneath his touch, the sensation instead replaced by a phantom feeling of silky sand warming heavy paws.

As they continued to swirl the sand, so too did foggy recollections continue to swirl within their mind, growing stronger until reality around them crumbled into silt that was swept away by the tide.

Tank was still on the beach, but in a body that was their own. The cool salty air contrasted against the warmth hitting their dark fur, the lively breeze forcing their thick fur into their eyes. Namira’s golden fur flashed in the corner of his eye, shining brilliantly under the bright sun as her nine tails danced gently across the sand. Out in the water, their son frolicked among the seafoam, his laughter bubbling through the air as the waves twirled around the Prince Of The Sea.

The memory was brief and dissolved into smoke as quickly as it appeared, its warmth evaporating to leave a cold void within Tank’s skull.

They found that to be happening a lot lately; memories of their past life, once so vibrant and warm, slowly fading into smoke that leaked from the holes in their skull to be swallowed by the frigid air. It had always been the little things. The ambient chatter as the townsfolk went about their day. The clink of glasses and laughter ringing out from the café. Chatot’s squawk. Their son’s voice.

But now, larger scenes were starting to be swallowed by the void. They knew it was only a matter of time before their past life faded into oblivion, and the memories of Treasure Town with them. Such was the curse beset upon those who rejected death to roam the land as ghost pokémon. Many times they had pondered ways to stop the memory loss albeit to little success.

“Yo, Duskull!” Mila’s overly chipper greeting broke them out of their thoughts, harshly snapping them back to reality.

But if there was one thing that they would never forget, it was to never give up hope.

Tank stifled their musings into a corner of their mind as they turned to acknowledge the houndoom and eevee that approached them.

“Hm, that was quicker than I expected. I lost track of time I guess.” They murmured softly to themselves before asking aloud, “Alright. before we start, I have a question for you, Houndoom. What do you know about battling? About moves? Anything?”

When they had been in a similar position, waking up on this very beach in a foreign body, they at least knew about the concept of moves, types, and battling. It was common knowledge from their past, something ingrained deep within that wasn’t easily wiped from amnesia.

Their eye widened in surprise when Mila shrugged and simply replied, “Uh, I can breathe fire? And poison gas, apparently.” She paused, before hastily adding, “Oh, and Sirius is a uh… neutral type. Does that have to do with it?”

Sirius nodded at the mention of his name. “And you’re a fire type… I think? That grumpig’s Power Gem really looked like it hurt.” He piped in.

Tank grumbled, rubbing their chin in thought. “Well, that’s… better than nothing.” They said flatly, before adding, “Do you know how you can… ahem… ‘breathe fire, Houndoom? Would you be able to do it right now?” If they had to start at the very basics, then so be it.

Mila blinked in confusion.

Right.

Breathe fire.

How did she do it again?

She looked down at Sirius for help. He took a step back to give her room, recalling the memory of her uncontrolled Smog with a sheepish smile.

She thought back to her battle with the grumpig, muzzle wrinkled in thought, but it was a hazy blur of smudged colours left by a typhoon of adrenaline. She took a deep breath, filling her lungs to their capacity. She held the breath as long as she could, her chest screaming in pain before she released it in a mighty huff. A burst of warm steam billowed up before being swallowed by the cold air, not a trace of an ember to be seen. Mila blinked, before giving Tank a sheepish grin, kicking at the sand beneath her paws.

“Hmm…” Tank’s reaction wasn’t as cold as she expected, their voice gentle as they softly floated towards her. “I see.” They said, before gesturing at Sirius. “Eevee, you might want to step back a bit further. Houndoom flames can be quite dangerous.” Sirius followed the instructions without hesitation, hopping backwards to give ample space between himself and the other two. His ears were up in alert, observing the scene with piqued interest.

“Alright. Now, let’s start from the very basics. Close your eyes, Houndoom.” Tank instructed.

Mila narrowed her eyes in apprehension before doing so. “Don’t let him sneak attack me, Sirius.” She barked.

“Will do.” Sirius called back.

Tank gave an amused snort before their voice softened. “Just relax, Houndoom. Try to ignore the world around you, and focus within yourself.” Their tone was soothing, laced with the softness held by parents calming their children. “There is energy within you, within me, within the earth itself. It flows like a river, its current able to create infernos and monsoons and ferocious thunderstorms. You just need to reach in and harness its flow.”

Mila’s brow furrowed in confusion as she cracked an eye open to peek at the duskull.

“Try to focus on the heat within yourself. As a fire type, any fire abilities of yours are more potent. You should be able to feel it coursing through you.” Tank continued.

Mila’s snout crinkled as she focused, tuning out the world around her to focus on her body. The air around her was cold, the sea breeze angrily biting at her skin and making her fur bristle with discomfort. And yet, she realized, there was a warmth beneath her skin. A candle that warmed her entire core and shielded her from the brunt of the chilly onslaught. Probing deeper she traced the candle’s flames as it tore throughout her body.

Her veins blistered from the heat coursing through them and her muscles ignited from the blood perforating them. The more she focused on it, the greater it burned, flickering and growing as it fed upon the attention it received. The fire within her rapidly transformed from a candle into a raging wildfire, the sun itself growing inside her to consume every part of her physical being with its fiery tendrils. It clawed at her skin, desperate for release from its confines.

The sensation made her intrigued and restless as she shifted anxiously on her feet. Her eyes remained squeezed shut, afraid that the inferno would explode out of her should she open them. The heat pooled in her mouth, fiery talons clawing and pushing against their confines. She couldn’t help but bare her fangs from the sensation, the dam wall breaking as the inferno flooded out into the opening. Scorching embers bathed her teeth before dancing into the cool air.

The fire cried for escape, yet she grasped it and contained it just enough so that the flames continuously flew from her jaw. It should be painful. Yet, it feels pleasant, as if she’s holding the essence of a homely fire or the scorching heat of a summer’s day.

_HOUNDOOM used FIRE FANG!_

Her eyes flew wide open as she stared ahead at Tank, their empty eye sockets locked onto her own. When they nod, she released it. In an instant, as if doused in water, the flames evaporate. A cold emptiness enveloped her, the icy air painfully biting at her tongue. But just as quickly as it left her, she felt her core ignite and the heat once again began circulating her veins.

Sirius watched on in admiration, eyes wide and mouth agape. Sure, he had previously seen some of his guildmates use fire moves. He even briefly recalled a resident mightyena using the same Fire Fang technique. Yet none of them held a candle to the inferno that erupted from Mila’s fangs. Pokémon were more adept at using techniques that aligned with their natural affinities, and his instincts knew that this was a mere fraction of her potential power as a fire type. A staraptor’s gusts could bend trees and a blastoise’s cannons could destroy their trunks. Who knew what a houndoom’s fires could accomplish?

It was simultaneously amazing and terrifying.

With Mila’s fire safely extinguished, Sirius eagerly bounded over to her with his tail wagging. “Nice work, Mila! Looks like you got the hang of it!” He congratulated her, eyes shimmering with awe.

“Heh, well, it was easy once I knew what to do.” She chuckled, chest swelling with pride.

Glancing back at Tank, she swore she saw a smirk grace their static skull. “Very good. Next, try to use your Smog. It’s a poison attack.” They instructed.

Sirius quickly stepped back to once again give ample space between himself and the houndoom.

Mila nodded and once again closed her eyes, reaching within herself to find the noxious energy that flowed within her. Its presence was not as obvious as the fire nor did it feel as natural. Its flow was weak, a sluggish river slowed by debris as opposed to the raging inferno of before. Yet she still managed to pinpoint its source, her focus causing it to boil up into a foul vapor that filled her lungs. The gas swelled, straining against its cage until Mila felt her chest strain, releasing the pressure with a mighty exhale.

_HOUNDOOM used SMOG!_

Purple smoke billowed out of her nose and mouth, curling around her before dissipating. She recoiled and wrinkled her nose from the bitter smell, coughing up the last remaining toxic plumes. The adrenaline from the earlier battle had shielded her from the uncomfortable sensation which now sent her skin crawling.

“Nope, don’t like that.” Mila gagged, pawing at her snout.

Sirius wistfully smiled to himself. Poison moves always seemed to be unpleasant for non-poison types, regardless of experience. Mila’s reaction flashed a brief recollection within him, a burst of fear and nausea from the first time the burning acid of his toxin welled up in his mouth. It sizzled as it dripped onto his bed, the sound drowned out by his wails as his younger self cried for his mother.

Thankfully, he had gotten used to it.

Tank, unfazed by Mila’s reaction, simply nodded in approval. “Very good. Two moves should be enough for our final exercise…” A glint appeared in their eye as they brought their arms together, a dripping inky mass forming between them.

“Woah, what’re you-“ Mila started, stumbling backwards in alarm.

_DUSKULL used SHADOW BALL!_

_HOUNDOOM evaded the attack!_

Tank flung the shadowy blob at her, deliberately skewing its trajectory to allow Mila to quickly leap out of the way to Sirius’ side as it crashed and melted into the sand. The eevee tensed, brow furrowing as he glowered at the duskull.

“What the heck?” Mila barked, lips twitching into a small snarl.

Tank chuckled, arms once again folding behind their back. “Let’s have a quick practice battle, shall we? You and Eevee versus myself. Casual, of course. I’ll take it easy.” They said slyly. “See if you can work together to land a hit.”

Sirius couldn’t stop himself from wincing, which Tank’s keen eye noticed. “Eevee, you call the shots. Direct your teammate.” They instructed before sternly adding, “Houndoom, listen to Eevee and don’t get too impulsive.”

They brought their arms forward, another shadow ball forming between them. Sirius stood tall, a new and commanding authority hardening his words. “Right. Mila, let’s each take a side and alternate between attacks. I’ll go first, so wait for my call.” He instructed.

_DUSKULL used SHADOW BALL!_

The murky sludge was lazily hurled at them and the pair quickly split in opposite directions, the sand behind them erupting into a cloud from the Shadow Ball’s impact.

_DUSKULL’S attack missed!_

The air was ignited with the spirit of battle as the friendly match commenced. Tank remained in place, eye languidly following Mila’s movements as she darted around them, quickly building speed until she was a blur that left a whirlwind of sand in her wake. Her pattern mirrored Sirius’s as he circled the duskull in the other direction in a wary gallop. Both pairs of eyes remained trained on Tank, who had yet to make another attack attempt.

Sirius broke the circle to lunge inwards, stopping short of the duskull as he snapped his teeth in a feinted attack. As Tank’s eye flashed to the eevee, the briefly startle barely flinching them, Sirius called out, “Go!”

Mila, who had darted behind the duskull, lunged at them, flames erupting out of her mouth with ease as she gnashed her fangs.

_HOUNDOOM used FIRE FANG!_

Eye never straying from Sirius, Tank gracefully slipped to the side to avoid the attack.

_DUSKULL avoided the attack!_

Mila landed next to Sirius with a skid, cursing under her breath as the flames fizzled out. She whipped around, crouching low as she stared down the duskull.

“Nice attempt.” They hummed. They clapped the end of their limbs together, the impact sending golden sparks into the air. As they slowly pulled them apart, a roiling ball of electricity grew between, rumbling as it grew.

Sirius’s eyes narrowed as he lowered himself, poised to once again take off. “They’re preparing an attack. Let’s keep it up, Mila.” He instructed, kicking his paws into the sand as he leapt into a sprint and circled the duskull. Mila followed suit, firing into a gallop to mirror his movements. Tank’s eye remained locked onto her as she rocketed around them. The orb of electricity pulsated wildly in their grasp, raring to be released. 

_DUSKULL used CHARGE BEAM!_

Without warning, it exploded from Tank’s grasp. The electrical charge shot forward in a beam of light into the sand, directly in front of Mila’s path.

Sirius skidded to a halt, ears lowering as his brows knitted together. He kept to the other side of Tank, yet his fur bristled from the attack as the electricity in the air coursed through his ruff and fluffed it up.

Something felt… odd about the attack. He couldn’t pinpoint what exactly.

There was no doubt that Duskull was a powerful pokémon, that much was obvious. But this attack felt different. Not even their Shadow Ball carried the weight and finesse that this Charge Beam held, its beam wide and concise as its impact blasted the sand and sent Mila flying back towards the water.

Mila grunted as she was flung back, crashing into the sand on her side. The electricity coursed through her, thundering through her bones and leaving her briefly stunned as her vision swam. Shaking her head to clear it, she pushed herself back onto her feet.

Sirius released a sigh of relief as she did so.

Mila glowered at Tank, heart pounding as she prowled forward. Her vision had cleared, but she could feel the electricity continue to pulse within her, surging with each thunder of her heart. It bristled through her fur, sending each individual hair on end. Tank eyed her with piqued interest as she approached them, scanning her features to predict her next move.

Mila’s glance flickered to Sirius, who stood tense on the other side of the duskull. Their eyes met, and a message of silent understanding darted between them. Sirius gave a tiny nod, eyes narrowing as he crouched down.

Mila shifted her attention back to Tank, lips pulling back into a snarl. Before the electricity coursing within her could fizzle out, she focused on it, holding the lightning within her grasp and directing its wild energy into her jaws.

_HOUNDOOM used THUNDER FANG!_

__

With a roar, she charged forward, electricity spitting from her jaw and leaving golden ribbons in her wake. Tank, briefly stunned by the houndoom’s new move, deftly slipped backwards to avoid the crackling jaws flying towards them.

Only to be met by another set of fangs that pierced their shroud from behind.

_EEVEE used BITE!_

_It’s super effective!_

Sirius, anticipating Tank’s dodge, had charged up his Bite attack and unleashed his sharpened fangs into the duskull. Tank grimaced and let out a pained grunt, causing Sirius to quickly release his hold.

And with that, the ‘battle’ was won.

The waves crashed around the three pokémon as they stood frozen in silence, two of them panting heavily as their minds rushed to process what had just happened.

Tank released a warm chuckle, wincing as they gingerly rubbed the bite marks on their back. Well, at least they couldn’t bleed. “So, looks like you two can work together after all.” They laughed, the pain quickly fading. “Nice job.”

The pair briefly paused before racing up to each other, tails wagging a mile a minute. “Woah, you can use Thunder Fang as well? Nice!” Sirius commended.

“Nice attack there, Sirius!” Mila barked heartily. “I guess we can make a decent team with some practice.”

She raised a paw up in front of her chest, to which Sirius quirked his eyebrows in puzzlement. Mila grinned awkwardly as she waited for Sirius to return the proposed gesture.

“What are you doing?” Sirius asked with an amused chuckle, tilting his head.

“Oh uh… you don’t know what a high-five is?”

“A what?”

“A uhh… a victory gesture, I guess, where we clap our paws together.”

Sirius paused before reaching up, lightly tapping the pads of his paw against Mila’s. “Like that?”

“Yeah! Then we do it to the side…”

Sirius repeated the gesture as Mila held her paw out to the side.

“Now down low…”

Sirius went to clap her paw, but she quickly swiped it out of the way.

“Too slow!”

Tank observed the pair in silent amusement as they laughed and revelled in their small victory, kicking up sand as they jumped around each other.

The scene was reminiscent of one from many years ago on that same beach; an unruly shinx and a shy vulpix frolicking across the sand after their first adventure. Tank smiled at the memory, even if it didn’t show on their skull.

“ _Those two… they still have a long way to go. But I have hope in them._ ” They thought to themselves.

\---

Leo hated working with his other scoutmates.

With the exception of Ren, the other pokémon just slowed him down. They got in his way and forced him to change his battling techniques. He was a lone persian (again, Ren was the exception) and he preferred it that way.

“Hey, Leo.”

He wasn’t too big on conversation either. Especially when beyond the Guild walls.

A girafarig had trotted up beside him, a new scout whose name slipped his mind. The youth was wide eyed and spritely, displaying a determined vigor that maybe Leo himself once held.

“What’s the deal with humans, anyway? Isn’t that all just stories?” Girafarig asked, his boyish voice slightly nasally.

The various scouts were strewn around the Haunted Woods clearing, awaiting their next set of orders from the Guildmaster regarding their human-tracking quest. Leo tucked himself away in the shadows of the outskirts, keeping to himself while his partner circled the sky above.

Or at least, he tried to keep to himself.

Leo grunted, thick rope-like tail swishing in irritation. “Tch, probably.” He grumbled. “But hey, orders are orders.”

His gaze flashed to the centre of the clearing, where the Guildmaster stood before a small, flickering, red fire. That had been where the strange pokémon had appeared, according to Ren. Whatever it was, its strange aura had sent his whiskers curling and his gem aching as he stepped into the clearing. It danced and twisted in an alien matter as if alive yet never growing or spreading. Frankly, Leo wanted to leave it behind as soon as possible.

“This is all definitely strange; I’ll say that much.” Leo mumbled, more to himself than to the girafarig. “If it is true, I don’t know how a human is supposed to fix everything.” Humans come to the pokémon world to save it, that’s what had always been told. “Why didn’t they stop the falling fires in the first place, y’know?” He drawled.

Girafarig pondered the persian’s words before shrugging and letting out a blasé, “Yeah, true.”

Silence fell over the pair as the Guildmaster continued their investigation, hopping around the fire. Whatever they were doing was known only to them. Girafarig kicked his hoof into the dirt, desperately racking his brain for a conversation topic. That scar slashing down the persian’s cheek was definitely new, and Girafarig had to bite his tongue to stifle his curiosity.

“Are all missions like this?” He eventually asked, lowering his long neck so he was at eye level with the persian. 

Right, newbie. “Eh, not really.” Leo rumbled, his tone softening. “The Guildmaster is just taking it really seriously, we don’t normally get everyone together like this.”

Girafarig nodded in understanding. “Yeah. Kinda strange that this is all from some old stories, innit?”

Leo grumbled in agreement. “Yeah, just don’t let them hear you say that.” He nodded towards the treetops, where dozens of glistening black eyes peered down at the clearing. The chatots sat perched among the branches, beady eyes watching all.

As Girafarig continued in his attempts at idle chatter, the head on his tail narrowed its eyes at the forest behind him. The second, more diligent half of his brain scried the web of trees, searching for any changes in the mottled shadows that danced among the filtered light.

When one shadow flickered oddly, the tail cried out in alarm, jolting Girafarig to attention. “Attack! From behind!” Its shout rung out across the clearing, breaking up the other scout’s ambient chatter.

The Guildmaster whipped around at the outburst, brows furrowing. Their eyes flamed a bright blue as psychic energy rippled out of them, invisible tendrils scouring their surroundings. There was the telltale life force of the scouts, but beyond that…

“Everyone!” They boomed, voice reverberating through the clearing. “Defensive formation now!”

As if a switch had been flipped, the scattered scouts converged with the efficiency of schooling wishiwashi, with the exception of Girafarig briefly hesitating before locking himself in place next to a zangoose. In an instant, the dozen or so pokémon had formed a tight-knit circular unit, multiple sets of eyes trained on the shadows lurking among the trees as the enigmatic fire shuddered behind them. Ren swooped down from above, deftly landing upon Leo’s back.

A chorus of violent hissing rang out about them, the first sign of the oncoming onslaught. Leo’s ears pinned back at the unpleasant sound.

It started with one toxtricity crawling out of the shadows, putrid sludge dripping from its gaping map as it slithered towards the scouts on all fours. The electric blue mane streaking down its back was weak, barely flickering with life.

Then came a second toxtricity. It lumbered into the clearing; animalistic eyes fixated on its prey as it salivated.

Then four more emerged.

Then ten.

The Guildmaster was frozen. The beasts poured out of the woods from all directions, their hisses evolving into deafening white noise. The scouts tensed, a wave of unease rippling through them as they quickly became outnumbered by the approaching ferals.

Leo pulled his muzzle back into a snarl. Sure, a small pack of ferals was to be expected.

But this?

This was a monster house.

A cacophony of babbling voices overlayed with wild hissing ensued.

“What do we do, Guildmaster?” Leo growled in anger and desperation.

“We can take ‘em!” Ren squawked, but the staraptor’s voice cracked from the false confidence.

“We have escape orbs, yeah?” Girafarig asked, his voice wobbling.

“No escape orbs.” The Guildmaster demanded, yet their voice wavered with uncertainty. Their feathers ruffled as they hastily racked their brain for all possible solutions.

More toxtricity emerged from the woods, piling over their brethren as the savage masses creeped towards their prey from all directions, hungry jaws gnashing as poisonous sweat turned the grass purple as it fell.

“What are we gonna do?”

“Shit, I’m not dyin’ here.”

“Guildmaster?”

The Guildmaster’s beak clenched at the increasingly futile situation, their heart hammering in their chest and drowning out the scene around them. The chatots took to the skies overhead to circle the clearing as their chatters joined the auditory onslaught, awaiting instructions from their master.

There was no other choice…

The horde toxtricities broke into a mad dash, limbs flailing and tongues flapping as they closed the distance between them and their targets. Leo crouched down, mentally firing curses at the Guildmaster for putting him into this situation.

Chiding themselves for what they were about to do, the Guildmaster thrust out a wing.

_CHATOT(?) used EARTH POWER!_

The ground underneath the toxtricities’ feet erupted, molten earth exploding into the air. The entire clearing shattered in a mighty typhoon of mud and rock, save for the small circle upon which the scouts watched on in shocked awe.

The force flung the feral pokémon into the air, throwing them back against the trees as the earth unleashed its savagery. Leo’s jaw hung agape; eyes blown wide as the insurmountable horde was obliterated within seconds.

The earth settled down, rumbling as it returned to its dormant state. Its carnage remained, however. Knocked out bodies of toxtricity littered the clearing alongside mounds of rock and dirt. The trees that lined the outskirts twisted askew as their roots were ripped out of the ground.

A heavy silence befell the scouts as one by one, they turned back to look at their Guildmaster. An orange aura faded from the shiny chatot, brilliant cyan eyes illuminating their navy feathers. Panting heavily, they slowly lowered their wing.

After a moment, they stared up at their scouts. Their voice was laboured and heavy with a gripping power that stifled Leo’s breath as they thundered their demand.

“Nothing happened here. Never speak of this again.”

\---

_“How’d it go? Did you get to the tower?”_

_“Lapras? What do you mean? I was only gone for five minutes. Something’s not ri-“_

_“Manaphy? I’ve been waiting here for three days.”_

_…_

_…_

_…_

_“What’s going on?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mysteriesssss~
> 
> Comments and Kudos much appreciated! Let me know what you think either here or on tumblr! Feedback helps keep me motivated to improve my writing ^^


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